Wharton Global High School Investment Competition

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Overview:

The Wharton Global High School Investment Competition is a free, experiential learning opportunity designed for high school students (grades 9–12) worldwide. Organized by the Wharton Global Youth Program at the University of Pennsylvania, the competition immerses students in the fundamentals of investment strategy, teamwork, and financial analysis.

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Format:

• Team Structure: Students form teams of 4 to 7 members, each guided by a teacher or educator serving as an advisor.​

• Case Study Challenge: Teams analyze a case study featuring a real-world client with specific long-term investment goals.​

• Trading Simulation: Using the Wharton Investment Simulator (WInS), teams manage a virtual portfolio with $100,000, investing in approved stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and U.S. Treasury Bonds over a 10-week period.​

• Deliverables:

  • Mid-Project Team Review: A brief report outlining the team's developing investment strategy, decision-making process, and top stock holdings.​
    Wharton Global Youth Program

  • Final Competition Report: A comprehensive document detailing the team's investment strategy, portfolio performance, and reflections on the experience.​

  • Evaluation Criteria: Success is determined by the quality and articulation of the team's investment strategy, not solely by portfolio returns.​

• Competition Phases:

  • Semifinals: The top 50 teams present their strategies virtually to a panel of judges.​

  • Global Finale: The top 10 teams advance to the final round, held at Wharton in Philadelphia, where they present their strategies to a panel of expert judges.​

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Content Focus:

• Investment fundamentals, including stocks, ETFs, and bonds.​
  Portfolio diversification and risk management.​

• Financial analysis techniques, such as SWOT analysis and financial statement evaluation.​

• Macroeconomic factors influencing investment decisions.​

• Ethical considerations and socially responsible investing.

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Blue Ocean Competition

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Overview:

The Blue Ocean Competition is the largest virtual entrepreneurship competition for high school students worldwide. It challenges participants to apply Blue Ocean Strategy—a business theory that encourages creating new market spaces and making competition irrelevant—by developing innovative business ideas that solve real-world problems in unique ways.

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Format:

• Who Can Participate: High school students (individually or in teams of up to 5).

• Submission: A 3–5 minute pitch video and a brief write-up explaining the idea and strategy.

• Judging Criteria:

  • Creativity and originality

  • Application of Blue Ocean Strategy concepts

  • Market feasibility and potential impact

  • Presentation clarity and persuasiveness

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Content Focus:

• Value Innovation: Offering more value while reducing costs

• The Strategy Canvas: Visualizing competitors and identifying differentiation points

• The Four Actions Framework: Eliminate, Reduce, Raise, and Create (ERRC grid)

• Buyer Utility Map: Enhancing customer experience across different stages

High School International Economics Essay
Competition (HIEEC)

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Overview:

The High School International Economics Essay Competition (HIEEC) is an annual global contest organized by the Harvard Undergraduate Economics Association (HUEA). It offers high school students a platform to showcase their understanding of economic theory through well-researched essays on contemporary economic issues.

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Format:

• Eligibility: Open to all high school students worldwide.​

• Essay Prompts: Released in early November, covering diverse topics such as environmental economics, international trade, and public policy.​

• Submission: Essays are typically due in early January, with an extended deadline available for late submissions.​

• Evaluation: Essays are assessed based on the clarity of argument, application of economic theory, originality, and use of real-world examples.​

• Recognition: Top essays are designated as Winners, Finalists, or Highly Commended. Winning essays may be published in the Harvard Economics Review

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Content Focus:

• Apply economic theories to analyze real-world issues.​
  Develop structured arguments supported by empirical evidence.​

• Explore topics such as carbon taxation, renewable energy subsidies, and the impact of globalization.​
  Demonstrate critical thinking and originality in their analysis.