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Montana’s EconoQuest 2024 Impact – The Montana World Affairs Council
November 12, 2024/
Dear Sponsors and Friends, 
The Montana World Affairs Council recently hosted our 3rd annual EconoQuest at Montana State University, where 200 high school students attended from 17 schools across the state. Check out our EconoQuest 2024 Video and our attached Impact Report for a glimpse of this year’s inspiring conference.
The 2024 EconoQuest champions are three young women from Lockwood High School. In addition to their first place medals for their project on the semiconductor industry, the Lockwood seniors received tuition scholarships from Montana State University College of Agriculture and Economics and a two-week all-expenses paid trip to India gifted by Consul General Gupta of India in Seattle.
Our “Why” is clear.
One of the winning students shared the following after the conference, “I just want to say thank you so much for everything. The scholarships alone are a huge deal, but finding out about India was a whole other level. I wish Mr. Hardt had recorded us when we found out — our jaws were on the floor! We are all so insanely excited and grateful, and we couldn’t have done any of it without the work of the World Affairs Council! I really want to get more people at our school interested in doing EconoQuest and WorldQuest, it’s shaped what I want to do with my future and I’ve had so much fun doing it!”
While scholarship money and world travel are significant and should be celebrated(!), at the heart of EconoQuest, our goal to connect students with industry and government leaders. We aim to introduce exciting career opportunities to the next generation, reinforce the importance of academic achievement and help students develop their soft skills. We also provide resources to teachers through curriculum development and training programs that fulfill state requirements.
We are grateful for our community partners.
To the 25 companies and government representatives that showed up at EconoQuest to engage with Montana students – thank you for taking the time to introduce your work and knowledge to the future workforce! The feedback from this program has been resoundingly positive.
Harlem High School Teacher Wendy Plumage-Maratita shared, “Taking my students to EconoQuest has opened my eyes as a teacher to how powerful the skills at this event help students. Not only in school but in their future lives. To know about jobs in Montana and to meet leaders and CEO’s of these businesses is an opportunity to help grow our future Montana economy.”
Lockwood High School Teacher Steven Hardt, “By opening doors to Montana’s industries, we’re not only showing students potential careers, we’re building bridges between education and opportunity. Every connection made is a step towards a stronger, more vibrant future for our state and its young workforce.”
EconoQuest would not be possible without the tremendous support from our partners at Montana Department of Commerce, Montana Photonics and Quantum Alliance, Montana Manufacturing Extension Center, Museum of the Rockies, Blackfoot Communications, Montana World Trade Center, Montana Department of Agriculture, Montana State Chamber of Commerce, and Montana State University. Words cannot express our gratitude.
Finally, thank you to the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation and the many sponsors who helped us not only put on a three day conference free of charge to students, but additionally raise nearly $30,000 to cover transportation, lodging, and substitute teachers so traveling rural, title 1, and tribal schools could attend regardless of budget restrictions.
With Gratitude,
Nikki, Rachel, and the MWAC Board of Directors
—
Nikki Geiszler
Executive Director
Montana World Affairs Council
The Montana World Affairs Council is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to
fostering global awareness and understanding in Montana’s classrooms and communities.
PO Box 16595
Missoula, MT 59808
Cell: 406.529.3565
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The Montana World Affairs Council is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering global understanding and awareness in Montana’s communities and classrooms.
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