July 1, 2024 - Elementary and middle school teams from Comal Independent School District swept the competition in both the Fall 2023 and Spring 2024 Stock Market Game Competition for Central Texas. In addition, a Comal ISD student won the state InvestWrite Competition and placed second in the nation in the 4-5th-grade division.
Two teams from Oak Creek Elementary won first and second place in the Fall; two teams from Johnson Ranch Elementary won first and second place in the Spring; and one team from Mountain Valley Middle School won first place in the Spring it its division.
The Stock Market Game is a project-based financial education program offered in the 4th-12th grade introducing students to the global capital markets. Starting with a virtual cash account of $100,000, student teams strive to create the best performing portfolio of bonds, common stocks, ETFs and mutual funds.
The game teaches students cooperation, communication and leadership as they relate to long-term saving and investing know-how to financial news and current events.
The Fall first-place team from OCES was the fifth-grade team of Elisabeth Bolsinger, Raelynne Easter and Aida Dorsey.
The Fall second-place team also from OCES was the fourth-grade team of Henry Agnese and Daniel Reahm.
The Spring first-place team from JRES was the fifth-grade team of Ryker Collins, Collins Fuller and Penelope Nieto.
The Spring second-place team also from JRES was the fifth-grade team of Wenceslao Castillo, Easton Gold and Sadie Haney.
This year’s first-place middle school team for the Spring game was the Los de GTO team from MVMS, making it the second ESL team from MVMS to do so. The winning team members include Naomi Castro, Mario Lopez, Nathan Luevanos-Guajardo and Noe Vasquez.
The JRES teams were coached by GT Facilitator Michele Wibracht, while the OCES teams were coached by GT Facilitator Sheila Pfeffer. The MVMS coach is Darla Blaksley.
In addition to the Stock Market Game, the SIFMA Foundation sponsors the InvestWrite essay competition as a culminating activity to the game. This year’s state winner was OCES fifth-grade student Aida Dorsey, who advanced to the national competition and placed second overall.
The Fall 2023 InvestWrite competition posed the following challenge to participants: ‘Which of your Stock Market Game investments performed well or poorly, and why? Using at least one of your Stock Market Game investments, how would you build a diversified portfolio of stocks, bonds, and mutual funds aimed at achieving a personal, family, or community goal by 2033.’
Thousands of volunteer financial professionals from hundreds of financial firms select the winners of InvestWrite each year. Dorsey captivated this panel of expert judges with a compelling and insightful essay.
Read the Dorsey's winning essay here.
Photo Descriptions
-Oak Creek Elementary student Aida Dorsey was this year’s state winner and second place national winner in the InvestWrite essay competition.
-Oak Creek Elementary students won first and second place in the Fall Stock Market Game for Central Texas. Pictured front row from left is Daniel Reahm and Henry Agnese; middle row from left is Elisabeth Bolsinger, Aida Dorsey and Raelynne Easter; back row is OCES GT Facilitator Sheila Pfeffer.
-Mountain Valley Middle School students won first place in the Spring Stock Market Game. Pictured from left is Mario Lopez, Noe Vasquez, Nathan Luevanox-Guajardo and Naomi Castro.
-Johnson Ranch Elementary students won first and second place in the Spring Stock Market Game and were honored by the Board of Trustees during its June board meeting. Pictured here with the Board of Trustees is Easton Gold and JRES GT Facilitator Michele Wibracht.
-The Mountain Valley Middle School team which won the Spring Stock Market Game was recognized by the Board of Trustees during its June board meeting.
-The Oak Creek Elementary teams which won the Fall Stock Market Game were recognized by the Board of Trustees during the May board meeting.