This November, more than 1,600 Metro Denver and Northern Colorado high school students experienced the rush and high stakes of trading on Wall Street through the JA Stock Market Challenge. The Cable Center at the University of Denver and the Drake Centre in Fort Collins were transformed into high-energy trading floors, with local schools competing to see who could manage the market the best and grow their initial $500,000 investment into the largest net worth in a mock portfolio.
Before the competition, students completed an in-class curriculum that taught them how the stock market works and how current events impact the market. In teams, students created an initial stock portfolio that they would begin the competition with. As soon as the opening bell rang, students had the same urgency and intensity as seen on the New York Stock Exchange, with every 60 seconds equating to one full day of trading.
During the simulation, volunteers played the role of traders and news runners, providing press releases and alerts that swayed the market. Student competitors had to think fast, be on high alert, and shout louder than their peers to grab the attention of traders and receive important updates while they were still timely.
After intense Metro Denver competitions, Denver Academy of Torah and Arvada West High School emerged from Thursday’s sessions victorious, while Rock Canyon and Monarch High Schools earned the first-place trophies on Friday. In Fort Collins, University High School won the morning session, while Roosevelt High School topped the podium following the afternoon session.
The JA Stock Market Challenge is more than just a fun field trip; it is a powerful learning experience. It provides students with relevant, real-world learning that connects what is learned in school to life outside the classroom.
The JA Stock Market Challenge aligns with state academic standards and supports the Personal Financial Literacy Graduation Requirement for high schoolers, signed into law by Colorado Governor Jared Polis earlier this year. The program can be incorporated into any relevant high school course, allowing students to receive the financial literacy standards needed for graduation at a time when there is unprecedented momentum and interest in career-connected learning that accelerates economic opportunity and mobility for students.
“This is an exciting experience for our students. It lets them see what it’s like on Wall Street, the chaos and the fun,” said Chad Sawyer, Business and Entrepreneurship Pathway Lead at EPIC Campus. “It builds excitement for investing and helps us bring those lessons back to the classroom to talk about responsible investing for themselves and eventually, for their clients.”
Proceeds from the Corporate version of the JA Stock Market Challenge allowed high schoolers to participate in the student version of the JA Stock Market Challenge at no cost. Support was also provided by student event sponsors Bow River Capital, Charles Schwab, Pepsi, RSM, and SM Energy
