Special to Pelahatchie News
Searching for financial advice? You might just find the best advisor at your local school. These students elevated their learning to new heights, earning top honors in the Spring 2025 Mississippi Stock Market Game (SMG). Students from East Rankin Academy, coached by Gary Harris, were named First Place winners in the High School Division of the Mississippi Stock Market Game (SMG).
ERA seniors Truitt Lewis (from Brandon), Gabe Nutt (from Morton), and Jonathan Soto (from Forest) captured the top position among 542 teams from public and private schools across the State of Mississippi. The winning team’s portfolio outperformed the S&P 500 by 23.05%.
“I’m very proud of Truitt, Gabe, and Jonathan on rising to the top spot against so many teams from around the state. To my knowledge, this is the first team from East Rankin to garner the 1st place designation in more than 30 years,” Harris said. “I’m also proud of all our teams who learned so much about a difficult sector of the financial arena. We also had three other teams finish in the Top 100.”
The Stock Market Game is an educational simulation that allows participants to experience the dynamics of the market in a risk-free environment. The game is used in Mississippi 4th-12th grade classrooms as part of investment education. Through this interactive experience, players learn about investment strategies, risk management, and the factors influencing stock prices. It is not only a tool for teaching financial literacy but also fosters critical thinking and decision-making skills in a dynamic and engaging way. The benefits of students playing are the following:
- Financial Literacy: It provides an opportunity for students to learn about finance, investing, and the stock market in a practical and hands-on way. They can learn key concepts such as stocks, bonds, diversification, risk management, and the impact of economic events on markets.
- Critical Thinking: Managing a virtual portfolio encourages students to analyze information, make decisions, and evaluate the consequences of their actions. They must research companies, industries, and economic trends to make informed investment choices.
- Risk Management: Through simulated trading, students can learn how to assess and manage risks. They can experiment with different investment strategies and understand the relationship between risk and return.
- Math and Analytical Skills: Tracking stock prices, calculating returns, and analyzing financial data help students strengthen their math skills and analytical abilities. They may also develop proficiency in using spreadsheets and financial analysis tools.
- Decision-Making Skills: Investing in the stock market game requires students to make decisions under uncertainty and deal with the consequences of their choices. This helps them develop decision-making skills and learn from both successes and failures.
- Real-World Application: The stock market game provides a simulated environment that mirrors real-world investing, allowing students to apply theoretical knowledge to practical situations. It bridges the gap between classroom learning and real-life experiences.
• Teamwork and Collaboration: Some versions of the stock market game involve team-based competitions, fostering teamwork, collaboration, and communication skills as students work together to manage their portfolios and achieve investment goals. - Long-Term Perspective: Students learn the importance of long-term investing and the benefits of patience and discipline in achieving financial goals. They can see how compound interest works overtime and understand the power of staying invested for the long haul.
“The simulation is one of the most effective learning tools available about the free enterprise system for students in grades 4-12,” stated Selena Swartzfager, President of the MS Council on Economic Education. The program enables teams of students to invest a hypothetical $100,000 in the stock market over a 13-week period. Winners are determined on the percentage return above or below S&P 500 growth.
“Last year, we had a 94% increase in student participation with a total of 6,746 students. students participating in the Mississippi Stock Market Game, and this year we are experiencing another year of growth, Swartzfager said, “This tells you how popular and effective this program is in the classroom. Students in all Mississippi schools should have the opportunity to learn about investing for their future. All it takes is a willing teacher to implement the program in the classroom.”
MCEE will award prizes to each first, second, and third place team from each division during a Stock Market Game awards ceremony held at Jackson State University on Friday, May 9, 2025.
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