APEX Finance, Banking, and Investments student associates participated in the 2019 Junior Achievement Stock Market Challenge with one team taking honors. The senior team of Wyatt Karras, Danny Stewart, Abigayle Lantz, and Nathan Hammelman finished in third place out of 30 teams from across the state sponsored by Farm Bureau Financial Services.
The JA Stock Market Challenge is an exciting, fast-paced competition, which is centered on a software system that simulates a 60-day cycle of the stock market and its function of buying, selling, analysis, and risk. Every 60 seconds represents a day of trading. The goal of each team (3-4 players) is to accumulate the highest possible net worth in their investment portfolio at the close of trading. The event is a day of fun and excitement, where the stakes are high and the competition is fierce.
Instructor, Jesse Hunt shared, “We had a great day today. All of our Waukee teams finished with positive net worth, and our teams made improvements over last year’s competition results. Our team that placed was in first place for much of the competition, slipping just a few spots near the end of the day. They all learned a lot and enjoyed the career exploration hour.”
The APEX student associates also participated in the Career Exploration Hour that the JA Stock Market Challenge offers. Organizations share their companies’ expertise and potential opportunities for future employment or internship to the high school teams attending the Challenge. Students arrive prepared from receiving in-class programming that entails the background of each organization and prepares them with questions to ask potential future employers.
Finance, Banking, and Investments student associates take third at JA Stock Market Challenge