This fall, Mrs. Shepardson’s Entrepreneurship class competed in the New York State Stock Market Game™. Congratulations go to Nicole Sheldon (11th Grade) and Cassandra DeCrescenzo (9th Grade) who teamed up to win 5th place out of 176 teams! Two additional teams in the class also excelled in the game, ranking 18th and 20th in the final standings. In recognition of Nicole and Cassandra’s accomplishment, both young ladies received ribbons and certificates from the Foundation of Investor Education.
Since 1977, more than 10 million students have participated in The Stock Market Game™ program. Today the program is available in all 50 states and worldwide. The Stock Market Game™ gives students the chance to test their skills in the Stock Market by investing a hypothetical $100,000 in a portfolio of their own design using an online program.
The Stock Market Game™ is a trademark of the Foundation for Investor Education, a nonprofit organization dedicated to developing and providing learning resources for investors of all ages, raising the level of investor awareness in the U.S., supporting research programs, and advocating the advancement of investor education.
Students use real Internet research and news updates, making the simulation an even better mirror of the real marketplace. While the competitive game play creates student excitement, the educational experience delivers the biggest impact.
Starting with a virtual cash account of $100,000, students strive to create the best-performing portfolio using a live trading simulation. They work together in teams, practicing leadership, organization, negotiation, and cooperation as they compete for the top spot. The setup is engaging, and the learning is a natural part of the experience.
In building a portfolio, students research and evaluate stocks, and make decisions based on what they've learned. Teams trade common stocks and mutual funds from the NYSE, Nasdaq and AMEX exchanges; earn interest on cash balances; pay interest if buying on margin and pay a commission on all trades. To determine why certain stocks perform the way they do, or why the broader market has moved up or down, they need to understand how the economy works, and to calculate their returns they need to do the math.
Mrs. Shepardson is looking forward to having her spring section of Entrepreneurship compete again in the Stock Market Game with the hope of additional success stories. Mrs. Tarsa's Accounting class will join in the competition in the spring. Good luck to both classes.
