Future Financial Advisors Sweep ‘Stock Market Game’ For Their Region

AMORY, Miss. (WCBI) – It’s a computer game called the stock market game. Shae Byars started it with her 5th class 10 weeks ago.

“It is an online virtual game where students invest in the stock market, they have virtual 100 thousand dollars they can use to buy companies of their choice,” Byars said.

The future financial advisors learned all about the stock market,  using  hypothetical dollars to buy stocks when the time is right, and selling when it’s time to get out.

The simulation is a program from the Mississippi Council on Economic Education.  Students had clear winners.

“Netflix and Starbucks,” said Ja’Tasia Ward.

And losers.

“WWE lost some money, Target lost a lot of money,” said Ethan Caldwell.

Not only did the East Amory Elementary students learn about potential risks and rewards of investing in the stock market, they also swept a statewide competition.

“In the elementary school section in our region we were first, second and third place,” Byars said.

That means the teams outperformed the S&P 500, which measures 500 large companies with common stock listed on NYSE or NASDAQ.

Students say though it’s a game, they learned about business, finance and the importance of research when it comes to investments.

“I learned you can lose money and earn money,” said Marek Foster.

Winning teams not only get medals, but real prize money they will split among themselves, and with their teacher.

The Amory students were able to travel to Pearl for an awards lunch on Tuesday.