Area Schools Show Stock Market Prowess

Students from North Florida have placed with honors in the spring 2003 Stock Market Game sponsored by the Center for Economic Education, COGGIN College of Business and the Securities Industry Foundation for Economic Education - SIFEE.

For an imaginary 10-week investment of $ 100,000 in a diversified stock portfolio the following schools, teacher-advisors and students placed 1st, 2nd and 3rd for the North Florida region of Clay, Duval, Nassau, St. Johns, Baker, Bradford, Columbia, Dixie, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Lafayette, Putnam, Taylor and Union counties.

First Place . Parkwood Heights Elementary teacher Teresa Herman, and students Victoria Ansley, Jacob Authement, Lydia Rodriquez and Sheridan Verney placed first and was the overall region winner with a final portfolio of $ 119,201.16 final equity.

Second Place - Bartram Trail High School teacher Elmar Bready, and students Jennifer Frank, Jason Horrocks, John Klinger and Joshua McNeil with $ 111,514.55 final equity.

Third Place - Fruit Cove School (middle) teacher Cathy Crowe and students Allison Hampel, Jessica Gambel, Steven Culbertson and Chris Tumlinson with $ 108,004.82 equity.

The Florida championship included North Florida teams for each grade level division which were first place winners for the region. Parkwood Heights Elementary, 5th (Duval County), Bartram Trail High School, 6th (St. Johns County ), and Fruit Cove School, 10th in equity portfolio but first for middle schools ( St. Johns County) for the entire state of Florida.

An innovative method for teaching economics to students, the Stock Market Game. is a computer simulated competition played this spring by high school, middle school, and elementary students throughout Florida. According to Mollie Lawrence, Asst. Director,

UNF Center for Economic Education and North Florida Region Stock Market Game . Coordinator. Each team begins with an imaginary $ 100,000 and during a ten-week period each semester “plays” the market, making transactions based on the daily closing prices from all three stock exchanges. Players may buy, sell, short sell, and short cover and all transactions are charged a 2 percent broker fee.

ews Before the game each semester, the UNF Center offers training workshops, during which game rules and general investing information is provided. Anyone interested in participating in the workshops and/or the Stock Market Game. for fall 2003 or spring 2004 can contact Mollie Lawrence, Asst. Director, and UNF Center for Economic Education, (904) 620-2470/Fax (904) 620-1300; mlawrenc@unf.edu; www.unf.edu/coba/cee; 4567 St. Johns Bluff Road South, Jacksonville, FL, 32224-2675.

For more information contact Mollie Lawrence, UNF Center for Economic Education at 620-2470.

-30-