Forty business students from Brockport High School joined 125 of their peers, from across Monroe County, to compete in the 2023 Junior Achievement Stock Market Challenge on Wednesday, April 19.
The challenge took place at Monroe 2 BOCES and simulated 80 days of trading on Wall Street with every minute representing one day. Students were split into teams of four and given $500,000 to invest.
At the sound of the Opening Bell, they got to work. Every “day” there were updates from the market that the teams of high school students would use to inform their decisions as they competitively invested and traded their fake accounts based on the real market.
With a total of nine teams in the competition, the Crypto Queens said that they hung onto one of the top spots by “buying low and selling high.”
“It’s important not to make impulsive decisions,” Brockport business student Ava Norrod added. “We all have to agree on it before we make a decision.”
“You can’t take it too seriously,” Brockport business student and Crypto Queen teammate Berit Dauenhauer said. “We’re all having a lot of fun.”
Though this is an annual event, this is Brockport’s first time participating.
“Students have been learning about the stock market in their business classes,” Brockport Business Department Chair Suzanne Sodoma said. “They will reflect [in class] on the experience of participating in the competition and connect the simulations to the real world.”
Brockport student Chloe Johncox explains that while she wants to go into architecture, this class has taught her important skills.
“I feel like it’s all connected,” Johncox said. “These skills are good to know, no matter your field.”
According to Junior Achievement of Central Upstate NY Director of Development Mary Ellen McArdle, the challenge introduces high school students to the basic concepts of how the stock market works and the impact of current events on the stock market.
“Students discover the benefits and challenges of investing in the stock market as part of a broader, long-term investment strategy and the risks and rewards of trading,” McArdle said.
Sodoma agreed, stating the challenge provides students with the opportunity to explore skills they will need if they decide to pursue a career in business.
“Students will better understand how a company’s performance on the stock market can be influenced by current events, how to buy and sell shares of stocks, how to identify the risks associated with the stock market and the importance of a diversified portfolio,” Sodoma said.
The competing teams closed the day by drafting portfolios and finalizing their stock selections, with Brockport’s top team, the Crypto Queens, placing fourth out of 36.
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