Stirling Hebda, a seventh grader at Thomas Jefferson Junior High School in Woodridge, has received national recognition for his outstanding achievement in financial education.

Hebda was named the Illinois state champion and national second-place winner in the middle school division of the SIFMA Foundation’s InvestWrite essay contest, which is open to students in grades 4 to 12.

Last year, while in his 6th grade gifted class at Edgewood Elementary School, Hebda participated in the yearlong Stock Market Game, a hands-on program where students learn the fundamentals of investing, saving, and economics.

As part of the program, students across the country entered the InvestWrite competition, where they reflected on how investing can help them achieve future goals.

Hebda’s essay stood out among more than 700 entries nationwide, earning him top recognition in Illinois and placing him second in the nation. For his efforts, he was awarded a laptop computer, trophies, certificates, gift cards and other gifts during a virtual awards ceremony hosted by the SIFMA Foundation.

Hebda, along with his mother, former classmates and teachers, gathered at Edgewood Elementary School Oct. 15 for the ceremony and to celebrate the accomplishment.

The SIFMA Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to youth financial literacy, runs both the InvestWrite essay contest and the Stock Market Game to help students gain critical skills in money management, teamwork, and decision-making.

“I am so proud of Stirling’s accomplishment,” said Sara Tomasevich, gifted specialist at Edgewood Elementary School, said in a news release. “The writing portion of the contest gave him the opportunity to reflect on what he had learned about investing and connect it to his future goals. His success shows just how powerful these real-world learning experiences can be.”