High school students continue to be financially savvy

Date: 12/15/2008

For the third year in a row, students from East Longmeadow High School participated in Junior Achievement's Annual Student Stock Market Challenge.

"It was good for us to attend the stock market challenge because it allowed us to experience the reality of the stock market. We were able to really put our minds to winning the challenge like people do in everyday life," Alexa Yacteen, a student from ELHS who participated in the 2008 JA Student Stock Market Challenge, said.

Dawn Quercia, an educator at the high school, has brought her students to the event each year and felt that this year because of the economic turmoil it was more important than ever for her students to participate.

"With pension plans becoming more and more a thing of the past, it has become vital to teach the youth of today about investing and the market so they are able to make smart investment decisions and prepare for their retirement years. Junior Achievement's Stock Market Challenges brings the realities of investing to life for my students," Quercia said.

James Bertier, a student from ELHS who participated in this year's event, echoed Quercia's reasoning. "I wasn't too interested in the stock market until this game/challenge. It wasn't just about playing a game, it was about learning what everyday people do to make money for their retirement. It was a great experience and I will be returning next year," Bertier said.

In 2006, a team from East Longmeadow High School, "The Analysts," took their $500,000 investment to $1.1 million in 60 game days of trading. This year, "Team Ackie" was able to build their $500,000 investment to $1.5 million.

The Stock Market Challenge is an advanced high-tech stock market simulation where teams compete in a virtual world to see who will amass the highest net-worth by the end of the investing period. The event is fast-paced, with teams competing through 60 trading days in one hour, or a new trading day every minute. Teams compete through the generosity of local business sponsors.

Alex Cormier summed up his JA Student Stock Market Challenge experience like this: "The game helped me learn a lot. Stocks make a big difference in life so it is important to learn what to buy when and when to sell. You can make a lot of money in the game and in life by 'playing it right.' This experience helped me learn exactly what stocks do and how to handle money in the market," Cormier said.

Students will have another chance to test and their knowledge of investing next year on Nov. 9, 2009 at the Fourth Annual JA Student stock Market Challenge.

For more information about Junior Achievement or the Stock Market Challenge, visit www.jawm.org or call 747-7670.