Whitcomb Fifth-Graders Master the Stock Market

Congratulations to fifth-graders Zeena Acharya, Deborah De Azovedo, Jenny Larrieux, Laura Nelson and Allyson Trinh, who took first place in the regional division of the Stock Market Game sponsored by the SIMFA Foundation. 

The Stock Market Game (stockmarketgame.org) helps students build a fundamental understanding of investing while providing them with real-world skills practice in math, English language arts, economics, social studies, and more. It helps students learn the process of making good investments and the foundation of sound money management, and helps them hone skills in the areas of investing, saving, communication, cooperation, research and decision-making.

Eighty-six Massachusetts teams joined more than 69,000 teams nationwide to compete in this year’s game. The teams of students each used $100,000 in virtual cash to invest in stocks and mutual funds in real-world investment simulation, with the goal of making as much monetary gain in a three-month period. The winning Whitcomb team made $122,810 in equity over the course of the game.

Comments from team members about the experience:

• When our teacher told us about the Stock Market Game, we were so excited to participate in the game! But back then, we thought the Stock Market was just buying stocks, and then getting money for it. During the experience, we learned to think before you buy. We had to look up the stocks on MSN, and look at the recent headlines of the company, or read the analyst ratings to buy it, sell it, or hold it, or we would read the Intraday chart. Using those helpful programs, we would decide to buy stocks, or not, and then continue to watch the stocks progress over time.
• We enjoyed working with each other. We always made sure we each did something. And if someone was having trouble, we would come together to help each other out.
• We discussed our ideas with family members at home. Our discussion at the dinner table went from our schedule for the next day to talking about how the Stock Market Game. We have been saving our money and investing in the market but it was not easy to stay in first place. 

On May 20, math teacher Kelly Daly and her winning team trekked to the Boston Globe to receive their award. 

Submitted by Beth Wagner, communications liaison, Marlborough Public Schools.