Students from Ms. Estrella's 5th-grade class have achieved an outstanding accomplishment in The Stock Market Game, an educational competition that teaches students about the world of finance. Her student teams placed in the top three in the state for the year-long elementary division.
Hosted by the SIFMA Foundation in collaboration with local partners, The Stock Market Game allows students to invest a virtual $100,000 in real-time stock markets. Through this experiential learning platform, students gain invaluable insights into economics, finance, and the dynamics of the financial markets.
Ms. Estrella’s students worked in teams of four using their virtual investment to trade stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and exchange-traded funds on the New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ. Students conducted research and then placed trades in real time via computer, competing with peers in their classroom and with teams across the state to increase their portfolio value.
Each winning team shared different strategies. One team chose to invest in well-known companies, such as Nike, while others opted to invest in companies with high stock percentages, or used a combination of both approaches. Students said they went from having money one second to not having any the next day, emphasizing that it was all a learning process where they adjusted which companies to invest in often.
Students expressed that they not only had fun with this competition but learned more about finances and how to advance their money. The benefits of participating in the Stock Market Game extend well beyond the competition itself. Students develop crucial skills in research, analysis, risk assessment, and decision-making, all while deepening their understanding of economic principles and market dynamics.
About the SIFMA Foundation
The SIFMA Foundation is committed to closing the opportunity gap by fostering greater knowledge of the financial markets for young people of all backgrounds. Drawing on the support and expertise of educators and the financial industry, the Foundation provides financial education to strengthen economic opportunity across communities and increase awareness of the benefits of the global marketplace. Since 1977, the Foundation’s most notable program, The Stock Market Game, has guided more than 20 million students on their path to financial independence by attaining stronger life skills, improving academic achievement, and boosting their social-emotional learning. For more information on the SIFMA Foundation, visit www.sifma.org/foundation.