Minnesota Students Receive Awards for Outstanding Performance in Investing Simulation
Brooklyn Park, MN – Students across Minnesota recently received recognition for their outstanding performance in the Spring and Year LongSession of The Stock Market Game™ (SMG). Winning students came from the schools below:
Year Long Session
- High School Division: Apple Valley Senior High, Minnetonka Senior High, North Lakes Academy Upper School
- Junior High Division: Highland Park Middle, Kenwood Trail Middle, Roosevelt Middle
- Elementary Division: Delano Intermediate School, Fernbrook Elementary, Oxbow Creek Elementary, Richfield Dual Language School
Spring Session
- High School Division: Maple Grove Senior High, Owatonna Senior High, Prior Lake High
- Junior High Division: Levi P. Dodge Middle, Robert Boeckman Middle, Wayzata East Middle
- Elementary Division: Lily Lake Elementary, Woodland Elementary
The SMG is a national, interactive learning program for students in grades 4-12, managed locally by Minnesota nonprofit, BestPrep. Students work in teams to invest a virtual $100,000 over a 14-week period, competing with other students for the highest-valued portfolio.
Because SMG uses an online platform, students can participate both in class and out of school. Each SMG team has access to online daily portfolio updates on their current holdings, brokerage fees, and team rankings. Students monitor their portfolio throughout the session and determine when to buy, sell, or hold investments.
Participating in these SMG sessions provided an exciting learning opportunity for the students, who experienced investing and the stock market amidst a variety of economic factors, including inflation, a spike in the use of artificial intelligence, and more.
“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.
One teacher from this year commented, “SMG was amazing!! We absolutely loved it. Kids learned a lot about financial systems and how to participate in them.” Students and teachers celebrated at an Awards Ceremony in May in Minneapolis. Top-ranking teams from each age division were recognized by and heard a keynote message from Sherri Trombley, Director of Business Consulting & Education for Schwab Advisor Services. Trombley highlighted the unique academic and professional opportunities available to students through their participation in SMG, encouraging them to continue learning, acknowledging their bright futures ahead, and noting the many ways Schwab supports thousands of young people in developing investing skills.
Thanks to generous funding from Charles Schwab Foundation and support from Schwab Advisor Services, SMG team fees were waived for the Minnesota schools. This is the fifth year Charles Schwab has provided financial support to SMG.
The SMG is run nationally by the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA) Foundation, with the Minnesota chapter of the program managed by BestPrep, a local nonprofit. The program runs each school year with yearlong, fall, spring, and late spring sessions.
For more information about or to participate in The Stock Market Game, contact Stephanie Musgrove at 763.233.6328 or smusgrove@bestprep.org.
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 1.8 million Minnesota students and teachers. For more information, visit www.bestprep.org.
About Charles Schwab
At Charles Schwab we believe in the power of investing to help individuals create a better tomorrow. We have a history of challenging the status quo in our industry, innovating in ways that benefit investors and the advisors and employers who serve them, and championing our clients’ goals with passion and integrity. More information is available at www.aboutschwab.com. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and LinkedIn.
About Charles Schwab Foundation
Charles Schwab Foundation is a private, nonprofit organization funded by The Charles Schwab Corporation. Its mission is to create positive change through financial education, philanthropy, and volunteerism. More information is available at www.aboutschwab.com/community. The Charles Schwab Foundation is classified by the IRS as a charity under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The Foundation is neither a part of Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. nor its parent company, The Charles Schwab Corporation.
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