Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts holds successful mock stock market competition for area students
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts (JAWM) recently held their annual Stock Market Competition at the Cedars Banquet Facility in Springfield on Friday, November 12, 2021 along with an evening event the same day in which local business sponsors competed. Taking home the top prize this year in the live event was “The Raiders” team from Hampshire Regional High School.
On Nov. 22, 2021 JAWM held a virtual Stock Market Competition for students who could not attend the live event. Over 150 students competed virtually. Students from Mr. Stephen Taylor’s Marketing class at Putnam Vocational took first and third place.
“It is so inspiring to watch how involved these young people get in the challenge,” said Jennifer A. Connolly, president. “Every student was fully engaged and felt the thrill of Wall Street as they worked to grow their investments. They all left the fast-paced day with a sense of how the stock market works. A big congratulations to not only our winners, but every team who joined the event both in person and online; it was great to reconnect for such a positive and fun competition.”
During the simulation event, approximately 60 participating middle and high school students formed teams that were each “given” $1,000,000 to invest in more than 50 fictitious stocks. With trading days lasting just 60 seconds, the goal was to build the highest portfolio net worth in a frantic 60 “days.”
St. Germain Investment Management was the event sponsor. Platinum sponsors included Savage Arms and Balise; and Peoples Bank and Country Bank were gold sponsors. Webster Bank stepped up as the portfolio sponsor, TD Bank as the trader sponsor and Elms College as the Education Sponsor. Silver sponsors included Polish National Credit Union, Westfield Gas & Electric, Monson Savings Bank, Easthampton Savings Bank and Westfield Bank. The bronze sponsors were Bay Path University, MMWEC, Excel Dryer and The Collins Companies. Table sponsors included Quabbin Wire & Cable, Florence Bank, Wolf & Company and Freedom Credit Union.
JAWM is dedicated to providing economic education and financial literacy programs to the youth of western Massachusetts and Vermont, opening their minds to their potential and preparing them for life after graduation. Events such as the Stock Market Competition simulation help students develop workforce readiness and entrepreneurial skills that will prepare them for a self-sustaining future.
About Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts
Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts was founded in Springfield, MA in 1919 and is the birthplace of JA. Today more than 13,000 students in grades K–12 in Western MA participate in JA programs annually. For more information, visit jawm.org