Central Piedmont Students Win State Championship of the National Personal Finance Challenge

Four Central Piedmont dual-enrollment students earned a state championship in personal finance, highlighting the power of preparation, teamwork and real-world learning. 

The big picture 

• Students won the State Championship of the National Personal Finance Challenge sponsored by the North Carolina Council for Economic Education. 
• The team will represent North Carolina at the National Championship in Atlanta, Georgia. 
• The national competition takes place on Sunday, June 1 at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. 

What they accomplished 

• Demonstrated mastery of:
  • Budgeting 
  • Investing 
  • Insurance 
  • Taxes 
  • Real-world financial decision-making 
• Showcased resilience, leadership and collaboration through months of disciplined preparation. 

Meet the team 

• Nivedh Vengala 
• Arnav Srivastava 
• Abhinav Kuriyal 
• James Hanzo 

Leadership and support 

• Coached by Anne Roberts, Accounting and Finance Instructor at Central Piedmont. 
• While competing in Durham, the team met North Carolina State Treasurer Brad Briner, an advocate for personal finance education. 

In the photo 

• From left: James Hanzo, Nivedh Vengala, Brad Briner, Abhinav Kuriyal and Arnav Srivastava. 

What’s next 

• The team advances to the national stage to compete against top students from across the country. 
• Their achievement serves as an example of financial literacy in action and learning beyond the classroom. 

The bottom line 

• Central Piedmont dual-enrollment students are turning knowledge into impact, proving that strong financial education builds confidence and opportunity. 

MORE >>>