(WNY News Now) – JAMESTOWN, N.Y. – Jamestown High School students Addison Zahn, a junior, and Greg Brumagin, a senior, finished 1st and 3rd, respectively, in the Junior Achievement Virtual Stock Market Challenge in November.
The Junior Achievement Stock Market Challenge introduces learners to the stock market. Participants
are introduced to the fundamentals of stocks, the impact of world events on the stock market, long-
term investing, and how investors make decisions to diversify portfolios. Students applied their
learning in a simulated stock market environment and are tasked in making decisions about a set of
fictional stocks and interpret current events and trends in the market.
Zahn finished in 1st place with a “net worth” of $566,588.38 and a “Return on Investment of
+13.32%. Brumagin finished in third place with a “net worth” of $553,415.20 and a “Return on
Investment of +10.68%. Five hundred students from 13 schools in the Western New York region
participated. Zahn and Brumagin participated as students in Amy Schultze’s JCC College Connections
Personal Finance course.
“In this course, students investigate stock market concepts before they begin the Stock Market
Challenge, such as: earnings per share, price earnings ratio, average rate of returns, and other
investment fundamentals,” Schultze said. “Providing students with a solid foundation in personal
finance and business development will enable them to focus on long term financial planning and
investment strategies.”
“The Stock Market Challenge presented in Mrs. Schultze’s Personal Finance class was not only
educational but also entertaining,” Zahn said. “I may have lucked out when I unintentionally loaded up
on one stock, but it turned out to be beneficial for me and helped me come out on top. I am looking
forward to using what I have learned from this Challenge and the class and apply it to my personal life
in the future.”
“I appreciate Mrs. Schultze giving our class the opportunity to compete in the Stock Market
Challenge,” said Brumagin. “This is a great way to learn about investing, and the risks and rewards of
investing. I researched the stocks I chose, and decided to buy low-priced stocks as they had the most
potential to rise quickly in value. The Stock Market Challenge will help with investing in the future as
a start earning and saving money.”
Zahn and Brumagin now will move on and compete in a live stock market challenge in Buffalo on
April 16, 2024.
Leave a Reply