NO SCHOOL: Thanksgiving Recess
A team of aspiring Albany High School financiers on Friday defeated students from four other area high schools at the Junior Achievement Stock Market Challenge.
The Albany High team of Neasha Harris, Hope Edwards and Jalanah Hall and showed a 45 percent profit increase by the competition’s end, besting all other teams in the contest. (They’re pictured at right as they receive the news of their victory.)
Teams competed in a race to accumulate the highest portfolio while learning the nuances of investing, trading, strategy, why companies issue stock, how actions in one place of the world impact the value of stock in another place, and why the stock market is an integral part of our free enterprise system.
Each team began the game with $500,000 trading dollars to invest in fictitious stock. Once the trading began, every 60 seconds was a new trading day in a volatile market. Floor traders entered the team trades into handheld computers and the information was immediately transferred to big screens for all participants to see.
Players tracked their stock portfolio and their team’s standings on three massive screens, and teams bought and sold stocks from “traders” that instantly sent trades to the system.
Besides winning a trophy, the school received scholarship funds and the three students split a $1,000 Crossgates Mall gift card.
The Junior Achievement Stock Market Challenge was held at the University at Albany, which sponsored the event along with SEFCU. Nearly 150 students took part, 20 from Albany High.
Click here to see a Facebook photo album from the event. (It's not necessary to have a Facebook account to view the pictures. A window may display the text, “To see more from Albany schools on Facebook, log in or create an account," but you can dismiss it by clicking "not now.”)
The mission of the City School District of Albany is to work in partnership with our diverse community to engage every learner in a robust educational program designed to provide the knowledge and skills necessary for success. The district serves more 9,600 students in 18 elementary, middle and high schools. In addition to neighborhood schools, the district includes several magnet schools and programs, as well as other innovative academic opportunities for students, including four themed academies at Albany High School.
