While students at Jonesboro High School placed first overall in "The Stock Market Game", White Hall School District in Region 6 won each elementary, junior high and high school division for southeast Arkansas.
White Hall first place honors included Taylor Elementary School, White Hall Middle School and White Hall High School, according to a news release.
Sheridan Intermediate School in Region 2 also won a first place award in the elementary category.
More than 5,000 Arkansas students in grades 4-12 competed in the statewide personal finance competition during the fall 2022 semester.
"The Stock Market Game" is an investment simulation facilitated nationwide by the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association Foundation. Economics Arkansas, a nonprofit educational organization that trains educators on how to incorporate economic and personal finance concepts into the PreK-12 classroom, facilitates the statewide program each year.
Marybeth Passmore is the team coach and gifted and talented coordinator for the White Hall district.
"The resources provided by Economics Arkansas have been amazing in helping me with teaching my GT students," Passmore said. "Using 'The Stock Market Game', the students are divided into teams and the competition is very motivating. Students cannot wait to come to my class each week to see how their stocks are doing and check their portfolios. The people at Economics Arkansas truly understand how to make learning fun and rewarding."
The game challenges students in grades 4-12 to grow a hypothetical $100,000 portfolio over the course of each fall and spring semester or the whole school year.
Allyson Goodin was the teacher advisor for the winning team in Jonesboro which recorded a net balance of $167,623.89.
"The fall session of the amazing 'Stock Market Game' was a real nail biter," Goodin said. "My students came in every day showing me the standings. They would even screenshot the standings and email them to me. [Their] parents were also telling me that they need to let their students manage the family portfolio."
A year-long component of the competition is currently underway and the spring session begins Jan. 9. The winners of each session receive cash prizes and awards.
Economics Arkansas will recognize these first place winners and others at a student awards luncheon on May 4. This will be the first student awards luncheon held since 2019 due to the covid-19 pandemic. Details: www.economicsarkansas.org.