Naperville Central students win financial literacy competition; head to Atlanta for nationals June 1-2
State Treasurer Michael Frerichs, UIC sponsored Illinois Personal Finance Challenge
A team of students from Naperville Central High School is headed to the National Personal Finance Challenge in Atlanta on June 1-2 after winning a state competition sponsored by the University of Illinois Chicago’s Center for Economic Education and Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs’ office.
Coached by social studies teacher C. David Ashton, Naperville Central students Rohan Jha, Rohan Jain, Audrey Cheng and Michael Antipov emerged victorious in a contest that provided students with an opportunity to build, apply, and demonstrate their knowledge in areas like earning income, spending, saving, managing credit, investing, and managing risk.
“The skills I’ve gained and the lessons I’ve learned will serve me life long, along with some lasting memories of the fun I had along the way preparing and competing with my teammates,” said Jha, who took part in the competition for three years.
Jain said he learned skills that he can use in the future.
“In an age where transactions have become instant, it is more important than ever to learn how to properly manage your finances,” Jain said. “The Illinois Personal Finance Challenge gives a window of opportunity to learn applicable lifelong knowledge.”
Teams competed through an online exam in fall 2024 and spring 2025. Top-scoring teams then took part in a virtual case study for the Illinois state finals.
This year, 635 students participated in teams across the state. College Preparatory School of America in Lombard won second place and Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy in Aurora won third place.
Other semi-finalists included Collinsville High School, Lincoln Community High School, and Southwestern High School in Piasa.
The competition is held each year, and students from this year’s winning team highly recommend it.
“I'm happy I'm able to walk away from the competitions with new skills and knowledge,” Cheng said. “You and your team walk away with valuable life skills that will benefit you for a lifetime.”
Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs advocates for the importance of financial literacy at every age. Illinois residents have access to free resources on topics like saving for an emergency, retirement planning, planning for a child’s education, managing debt, buying a home and estate planning at the FinWell Hub website.
“I am a strong believer in giving people the tools so they can invest in themselves,” Frerichs said. “We wish the team from Naperville Central the best of luck in Atlanta.”