Four of the Willowridge High School’s Distributive Education Clubs of America teams placed in the Top 10 among 37 other competing teams at their first entry in the Texas H&R Block Dollars and Sense Challenge.
Pictured kneeling is Fernando Gonzalez, and standing are Kierra Moon, Rhina Cato, Shirly Olivares, Claudia Escareno, Giselle Gonzalez, Ogheneovo Abu and Beverley Lawson, marketing coordinator and career and technical education department chair.
The Texas H&R Block Dollars and Sense Challenge is a comprehensive initiative to help high school students learn the essentials of financial fitness, like how to manage a debit card, balance a budget, save money and avoid debt. From the challenge, the students learned more about personal finance, financial literacy, and real life and career skills that will be useful in their everyday lives.
Among the Willowridge students receiving awards were:
- Fernando Gonzalez, WHS DECA president – 2nd place in state
- Rhina Coto and Fernando Gonzalez – 4th place in region
- Shirley Olivares, Claudia Escareno and Giselle Gonzalez – 5th place
- Ogheneovo Abu – 6th place
- Ashley Moran – 23rd place
- Kierra Moon, Rikki Davis and Stephaney Montgomery – 33rd place
- Fernando Gonzalez also received a $3,000 grant for entry in the Virtual Business-Personal Finance category.
“Willowridge scored higher than any other Fort Bend ISD high school in this finance challenge,” said Beverley Lawson, marketing coordinator and career and technical education department chair. “The students truly enjoyed the challenge, determination and competitive spirit that emerged from the participants. Because of their enthusiasm, I definitely plan on making this challenge a part of my syllabus.”
