Minnesota Students Receive SMG Awards and Recognition from Allianz Life
Students from seven schools participating in The Stock Market Game™ (SMG) were recently recognized for having top-ranked teams in the special Minnesota SMG Allianz Challenge Session.
The SMG Allianz Challenge is an interactive learning program for students in grades 4-12 and is managed in Minnesota by BestPrep, a local nonprofit. Students work in teams to invest a virtual $100,000 over a 14-week period, competing with other Minnesota students for the highest-valued portfolio.
This spring, 30 classes from 16 schools participated in the SMG Allianz Challenge, and each classroom was matched with an Allianz Life employee volunteer. As part of their volunteer role, employees held virtual classroom visits to present on the fundamentals of investing in the stock market and provide email support throughout the session.
The program helps students develop important real-world skills, like money management, economics, and critical thinking. The SMG Allianz Challenge is part of a partnership with Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America (Allianz Life®).
Thanks to this partnership, the company has provided funding for ten years to cover the cost of SMG team fees for all schools participating. Without this funding, many schools would be unable to participate in SMG.
“The Stock Market Game is an excellent tool for real-world learning because students are actually engaging in the stock market in real time. Students see and understand the effect of the financial choices they make, allowing them to make connections to factors that impact the market. This is an invaluable skill they learn, and knowledge that will benefit them long-term,” said Stephanie Musgrove, Program Manager at BestPrep.
Winning teams in the Elementary Division included:
- Roseville Area Schools, 1st place team
- Easter Carver County Schools Online Academy, East Union Elementary, 2nd place team
- Clear Springs Elementary School, 3rd place team
- Rockford Elementary Arts Magnet School, 4th and 5th place teams
Winning teams in the High School Division included:
- Stillwater Area High School, 1st, 2nd, and 5th place teams
- Mound Westonka High School, 3rd place team
- Browerville High School, 4th place team
Winning teams can also be found online.
The other schools participating in this special session of SMG included Breckenridge High School, Chaska High School, Clover Ridge Elementary, Jackson Elementary, Maranatha Christian Academy, Marcy Open Elementary, Minnehaha Academy Upper School, Minnesota Math and Science Academy, and Mounds View High School,
Students and teachers recently celebrated remotely in a live, virtual awards ceremony and were recognized with a keynote message by Brian Muench, Vice President Investments for Allianz Life.
For more information about or to participate in The Stock Market Game, contact Stephanie Musgrove at smusgrove@bestprep.org. The SMG is run nationally by the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA) Foundation and in Minnesota by BestPrep.
About BestPrep
BestPrep is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preparing students with business, career and financial literacy skills through hands-on experiences that inspire success in work and life through seven innovative programs. Since 1976, the organization has served more than 1.6 million Minnesota students and teachers. For more information, visit www.bestprep.org.
About Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America
Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America, one of the FORTUNE 100 Best Companies to Work For® and one of the Ethisphere 2020 World’s Most Ethical Companies®, has been keeping its promises since 1896 by helping Americans achieve their retirement income and protection goals with a variety of annuity and life insurance products. In 2019, Allianz Life provided additional value to its policyholders via distributions of more than $10.4 billion. As a leading provider of fixed index annuities, Allianz Life is part of Allianz SE, a global leader in the financial services industry with over 147,000 employees in more than 70 countries. Allianz Life is a proud sponsor of Allianz Field in St. Paul, Minnesota, home of Major League Soccer’s Minnesota United.
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