At the 9th annual Champions in Education ceremony, two Arizona educators received the 2022 Economic Education Teacher of the Year award. The Arizona Council on Economic Education (ACEE) served as the event’s host. Valley Schools and Jacob Gold & Associates served as signature and entrepreneur sponsors, respectively. “The Arizona community stood behind ACEE to ensure the long-term financial success of all kids in Arizona and waged a valiant, protracted battle against COVID-19. This year’s event, which took place during National October Economic Education Month, was completely sold out and attracted a record-breaking 50 sponsors “announced President and CEO Elena Zee. This success will enable ACEE to broaden its offerings of financial, economic, and entrepreneurship education to students across the state.
John Vasey, the Ridgeline Academy’s elementary economic education teacher of the year, complimented ACEE for its resources and professional development. “I definitely believe that economics is life. When you can open students’ eyes to the economic concepts that are at play all around us, it is magical,” said Red Mountain High School’s Jed Whetten, the high school teacher of the year.
“Teachers are the real heroes,” said ACEE board member and event chair Jacob Gold, inspiring the audience to applaud all the present Arizona teachers. The keynote speakers were two female economists: Caroline Freund, dean of the UCSD School of Global Policy, and Beth Ann Bovino, chief U.S. economist for S&P Global Ratings. They both credited their teachers for helping them succeed and discussed the value of economics education, innovation, and free trade.