Haverford Sophomore's Economic Essay Earns Honors

HAVERTOWN, PA – One student in the School District of Haverford Township showed his prowess in economics recently, as he brought home some honors from an essay contest from the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

Haverford High school sophomore Malcolm Wilson won second place in the Greater Philadelphia Region for his essay on analyzing the economic impact of hosting the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Wilson’s essay was a combination of solid research, strong opinions, and the application of fiscal and accounting policies, the school district said.

Wilson was one of the students in Mrs. McCarty’s first semester Accounting classes at Haverford High School who participated.

This year, the Great Philadelphia Region schools were given 3 topics that the students could choose to write a 3-5 page essay on. This competition is open to high school students in Lower Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Eastern Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties. The topics included:

• Hosting the Olympics is expensive. But do the expenses have an economic silver lining? What was the economic impact of hosting the 2016 Rio Olympics?
• Online finances is convenient, but is it safe? Do the risks of online personal finances outweigh the benefit?
• How does cloud computing effect cybersecurity? Can client data be kept safe in the cloud?

The Top essays were awarded $1,000, $750, and $500.

PICPA member and CPA Jessica Sandhu presented the $750 check to Wilson on May 31 at Haverford High school, the district said. Sandhu also congratulated Wilson on writing an excellent essay and understanding the power of an accounting degree, according to the district.

The PICPA was founded in 1897 and is the second-oldest CPA organization in the United States. Membership includes practitioners in public accounting, industry, government, and education and is headquartered in Philadelphia.

Congratulations Malcolm Wilson!

Image via School District of Haverford Township, Anna Deacon