Thompson Middle School students take first place in Stock Market Game

ST. CHARLES – After picking stocks that helped them beat over 699 other teams in the state, eighth grade students from Thompson Middle School placed first in the spring semester of The Stock Market Game program's online portfolio simulation.

The winning student team includes Carson Stephens, Gabriella Duffin and Jesse Lazenby. The students worked with Thompson history teacher Brandon Petersen to increase their original $100,00 cash to a final portfolio equity of $193,568.23.

"Each group of three students was given $100,000.00 to invest in stocks, mutual funds, or both," Petersen said in a news release from St. Charles Community Unit School District 303. "The students learned about the structure and concept of capitalism, supply and demand, and how the corporate success and failures can be their own through stock ownership. The winning group did an outstanding job of communicating and working collaboratively to pinpoint stocks they felt would translate into our modern economy. I am very impressed and proud of them and wish I could only go back in time and invest my own money in what they chose! ”

The Stock Market Game program is used in thousands of classrooms nationwide to help teach core academic subjects while emphasizing the importance of long-term saving and investing. Students work together in teams to conduct research, invest their hypothetical $100,000 cash account and manage their portfolio over time.

Teachers use the SMG program’s online educational resource library as a tool to enhance student engagement with math, language arts, social studies, business, and technology, while integrating investment concepts into their existing curriculum. The cross-curricular lessons and materials support both Illinois and national Common Core State Standards.