Students explain the stock market in innovative writing competition

Released on 02/05/2010, at 2:00 AM
Office of University Communications
University of Nebraska–Lincoln
Lincoln, Neb., February 5th, 2010 —

Students from Papillion, Arlington and Norris were the statewide winners is the fall competition of InvestWrite, an innovative writing competition for students in Grades 4 through 12.

Sponsored in Nebraska by the Nebraska Council on Economic Education at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, InvestWrite adds a critical thinking component to help reinforce concepts students learned in the classroom while participating in the Stock Market Game.

The state winners by division for the fall competition are:

* Elementary School (Grades 4-5): Josh Swansinger, Walnut Elementary School in Papillion, Laurie Little, teacher.

* Middle School (Grades 6-8): Jack Scott, Arlington Middle School, Shawna Koger, teacher.

* High School (Grades 9-12): Jessica Stephenson, Norris High School, Sid Conrad, teacher.

Participants wrote essays explaining why their Stock Market Game team chose to purchase a selected stock, bond or mutual fund. They discussed risk, diversification and compound interest, and the importance of savings.

Each winner receives a 4-gigabite MP3 video player, a certificate and a celebratory cake to share with classmates.

The Stock Market Game is an academic program that provides lifelong, necessary skills to students. It is a 10-week academic competition for students in Grades 4-12 who manage fictitious $100,000 portfolios by buying and selling stocks, bonds and mutual funds. Students say they often don't realize how much they are learning, but research shows the game increases student test scores.

For additional information on the Stock Market Game, the InvestWrite Competition or the Nebraska Council on Economic Education visit www.nebraskacouncil.org.

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