SWCC Business Contest Day

SWCC sponsors business contests for high school students who are in any business-related classes.  The contests are held annually at Southwestern Community College in Creston, Iowa.  

Stanton performs well in SWCC’s 2008 Business Contests

On Tuesday, April 8, Stanton traveled to Creston to competed in SWCC’s 29^th Annual Business Contest  Stanton’s 14 students competed in 6 events (2 individual and 4 team events).  The two advertising teams finished in first and second places.  Each team is given a poster board and the object to be advertised.  This year’s object was a 3-dimensional star.  The team’s task was to develop a print ad in two hours. Pen, pencil, or any other medium may be used to create the ad. Computers and clip art are not to be used. Ads were judged on the following: creativity, originality, and ability to sell the product.  The first place team consisted of Celia Bruning, Josh McKernan, Matt Pruss, and Jake Snow.  Their poster (print ad) is shown in the picture below.  The second place team consisted of Christine Mainquist, Alex McArdle, Brett Sink, and Austin Strickland.  Christine Mainquist finished first in the Proofreading and Spelling contest. The internet research team of Gary Stephens and Mike Hamilton completed their task with a 2^nd place finish.  The web design team of Zach Wiig and Jordan Fort overcome technical issues to finish in third.

Stanton School Homepage

For a complete list of contests and their description, see below.

Contests and Descriptions:

ACCOUNTING I AND ACCOUNTING II

ACCOUNTING I - The examination will be composed primarily of objective type questions and will be scored electronically.  Questions will

relate to basic financial statements, accounts, entries including closing and adjusting, special journals, etc.  Financial statements could

be given as part of the test or as a tie breaker.  Students who are currently enrolled in bookkeeping/accounting or have completed the

one-year course and are NOT enrolled in a second-year course may take this exam.

ACCOUNTING II - Students who have completed one year of bookkeeping/accounting and are enrolled in or have completed a second

year of accounting should enroll for the Accounting II exam.  The exam will be composed of a shortened version of the objective questions

in the Accounting I exam.  In addition, the Accounting II exam will be composed of objective questions covering principles normally

presented in the second-year accounting course.  Topics covered could include accounting for corporations, departments, inventories,

and depreciation.  Financial state–ments could be given as part of the test or as a tie breaker.

The Accounting II exam will be given at the same times and rooms as the Accounting I exam.  There will be separate awards and

certificates for each exam.

MAXIMUM ENTRIES PER SCHOOL:  Accounting I - 3, Accounting II - 3

SUPPLIES NEEDED:  Students should bring at least two No. 2 pencils and an eraser.  Scratch paper will be provided.  Pocket calculators

will be permitted.

COMPUTER KNOWLEDGE

The test will be objective in nature and may include terminology relating to the Internet, networking, history, programming, and software

applications.

MAXIMUM ENTRIES PER SCHOOL:  Computer Knowledge - 3

SUPPLIES NEEDED:  Students should bring at least two No. 2 pencils and an eraser. 

BUSINESS ENGLISH

The Business English test will consist of a computerized exercise designed to measure language arts skills and the ability to proofread

and edit documents.  The following language arts skills will be assessed:  grammar, abbreviations, number usage, spelling,

capitalization, punctuation, and pos–sessives. No reference materials will be used during the test.

MAXIMUM ENTRIES PER SCHOOL:  Business English - 2

SUPPLIES NEEDED:  None

BEGINNING AND ADVANCED KEYBOARDING

BEGINNING KEYBOARDING - A beginner is defined as one who is enrolled in Keyboarding or Typewriting I and has not yet completed one

full year.  The test will consist of an in-basket approach which may include typing letters, tables, reports, and memorandums.  A 5-minute

timed writing will also be given.

ADVANCED KEYBOARDING - An advanced typist is defined as one who has completed at least one full year of Keyboarding or Typewriting I. 

The test will consist of an in-basket approach which may include typing letters, tables, reports, and memorandums.  A 5-minute timed

writing will also be given.

MAXIMUM ENTRIES PER SCHOOL:  Beginning - 2, Advanced - 2.  NOTE:  Each contest will be limited to the first 20 entries received.

SUPPLIES NEEDED - Dictionaries and word division manuals will be permitted. Ergonomic keyboards will be used.

COMPUTER GENERATED ART

Students will display through soft copy the art that they will generate with a computer DURING THE CONTEST TIME at Southwestern.  A

theme for the graphic will be given at the time of the contest.  All graphics will be created by using a graphics package.  Only one graphic

will be created per team. Southwestern has IBM computers with Paint available.  If you require any other kind of equipment, please

provide it along with your own software. Entrants will set up their equipment at 9 a.m.  Students will be given a topic as a central theme for

their graphic.  Participants will create a graphic all free hand.  All work must be completed by 11 a.m. when judging will take place.

Judging will be based on appropriate display of the theme, eye appeal, imagination, creativity, and originality.  Displays may be viewed by

anyone from 11 to 11:30 a.m.

MAXIMUM ENTRIES PER SCHOOL:  Two teams of 2 students each.

SUPPLIES NEEDED:  None, unless you bring your own equipment.

BUSINESS MATH CONTEST

This contest is for any high school student with a background in business courses.  The examina–tion will be composed of objective

questions similar to pre-employment examinations such as Iowa Merit, Civil Service, and the arithmetic section of the National Business

Entrance Test.

MAXIMUM ENTRIES PER SCHOOL:  Business Math - 3

SUPPLIES NEEDED:  Students should bring two No. 2 pencils, an eraser, and a pocket calcu–lator.  Scratch paper will be provided.

WHO WANTS TO BE A COMPUTER MILLIONAIRE?

A competition based on the television game show with a similar name.  A team of four will meet with Regis McCampbell and his staff of

assistants in a closed, sound-proof studio (classroom).  Each team will be given the same questions, which grow in complexity and

double in point value.  A team captain will be asked for the "final answer" after each question. Each team will have three lifelines:  1)

50/50  2) Look it up in a book  3) Poll the college students in the room.  Playoff matches with more difficult questions will be given in the

event of a tie for first place. Most questions will cover general computer knowledge, which might be found in an introductory computer

science textbook.  The only programming questions will be about HTML (web design).  Because all question sets will be the same, only

the competitors and their business/computer teacher will be in the room during the competition.

MAXIMUM ENTRIES PER SCHOOL:  One team consisting of up to four members.

SUPPLIES NEEDED:  Textbook for lifeline or one will be provided.

ADVERTISING

This contest is open to any student who is interested in advertising.  Students will manage the con–test but the judging will be done by

advertising professionals. One 11- by 14-inch piece of poster board and the object to be advertised will be provided.  The task will be to

develop a print ad in two hours.  Pen, pencil, or any other medium may be used to create the ad.  Computers and clip art are not to be

used.  Ads will be judged on the following:   creativity, originality, and ability to sell the product.

MAXIMUM ENTRIES PER SCHOOL:  Two teams consisting of up to four members per team.

SUPPLIES NEEDED:  Pens, pencils, and colored media.

PROOFREADING AND SPELLING

Proofreading and spelling will be a contest in which the student is to find typographical errors as well as errors in spelling and similar

words.  There will be no errors in format, punctuation, or grammar.  Reference materials may not be used.

MAXIMUM ENTRIES PER SCHOOL:  Proofreading and Spelling - 3

SUPPLIES NEEDED:  Each student should bring at least two No. 2 pencils.

AG. SALES PRESENTATION

The ag. sales contest is designed to test one's proficiency in conducting a sales situation.  Contestants will choose an agricultural

product of their own choice and come to the contest site prepared to sell the product or service in a 5 to 8 minute presentation.  The

contestant will sell to one individual.  Contestants should come prepared with materials (flyers, product sheets, samples, charts, graphs,

etc.) to help in their presentation.  No audio visual equipment will be allowed in this contest. A product summary sheet will be filled out by

the contestant in a preparation room prior to the sales presentation.  Information needed to fill out this sheet can be found on page 8

which also details the evaluation procedure to be used by the judge(s).

MAXIMUM ENTRIES PER SCHOOL:  Ag. Sales Presentation - 1

SUPPLIES NEEDED:  Pen or pencil to fill out product summary sheet.  Materials as needed for the presentation.  No audio visual

equipment will be allowed.

BUSINESS KNOWLEDGE

The business knowledge test will feature objective questions measuring general business understanding.  Questions will relate to

sales, marketing, business math, and computers with a strong emphasis on economics.

MAXIMUM ENTRIES PER SCHOOL:  Business Knowledge - 3

SUPPLIES NEEDED:  Each student should bring at least two No. 2 pencils.  Pocket calculators will be permitted.

INTERNET RESEARCH

In this event students will be required to do research using the Internet.  A list of topics will be given to each team at the start of the

contest.  Netscape Communicator and Internet Explorer is available on all computers.  Any search engine may be used.  Each team will

be assigned to one computer.

MAXIMUM ENTRIES PER SCHOOL:  Internet Research - 1 team of 2 students.  This event will be limited to the first 10 teams entered.

SUPPLIES NEEDED:  None

JOB INTERVIEW SKILLS

This contest is to test the student's proficiency in interview situations.  Contestants will choose an ad from a newspaper depicting a

business-related position.  Each contestant will then develop a letter of application and resume indicating in the letter the position for

which he/she is applying.  Two copies of the application letter with ad attached and two copies of the resume must be mailed to the

contest coordinator at the same time as the registration form.  The application letter must be addressed as follows:

Mrs. Karen Tussey

Director, Human Resources

Merit Corporation

1501 West Townline

Creston, IA  50801

The Merit Corporation address is to be substituted for any name and address that may appear in the ad. Interviews will be scheduled

every 15 minutes.  Participants will be informed before the day of the contest what time they should report for their interview.  The

evaluation sheet to be used by the judge(s) is on page 9.

MAXIMUM ENTRIES PER SCHOOL:  Job Interview Skills - 1 

SUPPLIES NEEDED:  Students may have a copy of their resume with them.  REMINDER:  Two letters of application and 2 resumes must be

mailed by April 1.

EXTEMPORANEOUS SPEAKING

The ability to express one's thoughts without prior preparation is a valuable asset, as are poise, self-confidence, and organization of

facts.  Each participant will be given a topic that will relate to Agricultural Business or Management.  One 4" x 6" index card will be given to

each participant and may be used during the preparation and performance.  Information may be written on both sides of the note card.

Participants must furnish their own pens and pencils. The speech should be three (3) minutes in length.  Reference materials may be

brought to and used during the preparation.  The reference materials must be in a 3-ring binder and are only used in the preparation

room.  Participants will prepare their speeches prior to appearing before the judge(s).  Preparation time will be ten (10) minutes. At the

time of the performance, the event administrator will introduce each participant by name only.  Each speech should be three (3) minutes

in length.  A timekeeper will hold up a card at the end of two and one-half (2 1/2) minutes.  When the speaker is finished, the time used by

the participant will be recorded noting any deductions of one (1) point for each second over or under three (3) minutes (no loss of points

for speeches 2 1/2 to 3 minutes).  The evaluation sheet to be used by the judge(s) is on page 7. 

MAXIMUM ENTRIES PER SCHOOL:  Extemporaneous Speaking - 1

SUPPLIES NEEDED:  Pen or pencils and reference materials in a 3-ring binder.