An NIU organization received a national accredited award in April for expanding economic education in Illinois.

The Illinois Council on Economic Education (ICEE) received a Silver Performance award from its national affiliate, the Joint Council on Economic Education, said Council Executive Director David Dieterle.

The ICEE sponsors the Developmental Economic Education Program (DEEP), which has formal working relationships with school systems in Illinois, Dieterle said. The ICEE has 10 centers throughout Illinois.

“This award is testimony to the progress we are making in Illinois,” he said. People’s efforts, from the volunteers to teachers, helped ICEE get the award, he said.

“The primary mission of ICEE is to work with public and private school systems in curriculum development,” Dieterle said.

ICEE represents over 1.2 million students and 40,000 teachers, he said. Nineteen states received a Silver Performance award.