Photos by Tara Vogler.

The OHS AP macroeconomics team comprised of Sarah Sax (12), Madison Aubuchon (12), Kate Giles (12), and Rialda Mustic (12) prepared a plan to transform the national debt policy that impressed the judges in the FOMC challenge on Dec. 8- 9.

The all girl team won against seven other teams comprised of AP macroeconomic students who competed in the FOMC (Federal Open Market Community) Challenge. Each team presented their plan to transform the federal budget by either lower, raise, or keep the current budget to a board of judges consisting of Mrs. Jan Kellerman, Mr. Matthew Willett, Venki Palamand (current Mehlville School District Board of Education President), and Ron Fedorchak (former Mehlville School District Board of Education President).

To prepare for their presentation, the teams researched inflation, CPI (consumer price index), GDP (gross domestic product), and unemployment so they could adequately debate the United States monetary policy.

“We gathered all our data and found real life examples to see if we wanted to lower or raise the rate,”  said Sax (12).

“What we thought would be best for our economy is leave it where it’s at basically. So the federal funds rate is at 0.12 so we decided to keep it in the 0-0.25 range to keep inflation low. We tried to raise it, but we can’t do it without dramatically hurting other sectors of the economy,” said Mustic.

After each team presented their plan for the federal budget, the judges tallied the scores. The girls team won first for the second consecutive year against the boys team. The second place team consisted of Christian Niehoff (12), Blake Dillow (12), Connor Sedlack (12), and Haris Zeneli (12).

“It was intimidating. Kate, Sarah, and Madison did really well. Without them I don’t think we could have won,” Mustic said.

In reward for winning, the girls will have their picture and plaque posted in Mr. Rodney Gerdes’s, the economics teacher, room 300 for students to see.