22 Schools Among Winners of Investment Simulation Competition
North Little Rock High School, Pinnacle View Middle School Overall Winners
April 16, 2024
LITTLE ROCK– Student teams from 22 Arkansas schools and school districts took top honors during the spring 2024 and year-long 2023-24 sessions of The Stock Market Game™. The overall state winners of this investment simulation facilitated each year by Economics Arkansas are North Little Rock High School and Pinnacle View Middle School (Little Rock) for the spring and yearlong sessions, respectively.
These student teams won first place in their region and division, increasing their portfolios to $171,421.56 for North Little Rock High, reflecting a return of more than 71 percent, and $183,046.12 for Pinnacle View Middle, an 83 percent return.
The Stock Market Game™ challenges students in grades 4-12 to grow a hypothetical $100,000 portfolio over the course of 13 weeks each fall and spring semester or the whole school year.
The winners of each session receive cash prizes, awards, and recognition during an awards luncheon. The spring session ran from January 8 through April 5; the year-round session, from Sept. 5, 2023, through April 12, 2024. An awards luncheon will be held May 8, 2024, at the Clinton Presidential Library and Museum in Little Rock.
The 1st place winners of each session, listed by region and division, are:
The Stock Market Game™ | Spring 2024 1st Place Winners
| Elementary | School | Advisor | School District |
|---|---|---|---|
| Region 1 | Helen Tyson Middle School | Ladonna Elliott | Springdale |
| Region 2 | Sheridan Intermediate | Sherri DeSoto | Sheridan |
| Region 3 | Joann Walters Elementary | Paula Stapp | Dierks |
| Region 4 | Visual & Performing Arts | Stephanie Richardson | Jonesboro |
| Region 5 | Forest Park Elementary | Jason Finney | Little Rock |
| Region 6 | Hardin Elementary | Marybeth Passmore | White Hall |
| Junior High | School | Advisor | School District |
|---|---|---|---|
| Region 1 | Lakeside Junior High | Justin Brantley | Springdale |
| Region 2 | Goza Middle School | Jequetta Berry | Arkadelphia |
| Region 3 | Columbia Christian | Victoria Allison | |
| Region 4 | Beebe High School | Sayward Poertner | Beebe |
| Region 5 | Pinnacle View Middle School | Graham Goodloe | Little Rock |
| Region 6 | White Hall Middle School | Robbie Stewart | White Hall |
| High School | School | Advisor | School District |
|---|---|---|---|
| Region 1 | Mountain Home Career Academies | Johnny Caststeel | Mountain Home |
| Region 2 | Lakeside High School | Jacob Reynolds | Lakeside |
| Region 3 | Columbia Christian | Victoria Allison | |
| Region 4 | Concord High School | Cody York | Concord |
| Region 5 | North Little Rock High School | Michael Huels | North Little Rock |
| Region 6 | Rison High School | Caitlin Morrison | Cleveland County |
| After School | Barton High School | Teri Miller | Barton Lexa |
| College | University of Arkansas at Monticello | Dr. Shanna Knowles |
| Overall Winners | |||
| 1st Place State Winner | North Little Rock High School | Michael Huels | $171,421.56 |
| Teacher Division | Nettleton High School | Ethan Gasaway | $153,278.70 |
2023-24 Yearlong 1st Place Winners
| School | Advisor | School District | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary | Alma Intermediate School | Michael Bridges | Alma |
| Junior High | Pinnacle View Middle School | Graham Goodloe | Little Rock |
| High School | Southside High School | Casey Fischer | Fort Smith |
| Overall Winners | |||
| 1st Place State Winner | Pinnacle View Middle School | Graham Goodloe | $183,046.12 |
| Teacher Division | North Little Rock | DeLinda Pack |
Economics Arkansas, a nonprofit educational organization that trains educators how to integrate economics and personal finance concepts into the PreK-12 classroom curriculum, hosts The Stock Market Game™ program each school year as fall, spring, and year-long sessions. Teams of 1-5 students compete in the elementary (grades 4-6), junior high (grades 7-9) or senior high division (10-12) in one of the state’s six regions connected to a university center for economic education. Teachers serve as advisors who teach their students how to research and become aware of current events that affect the market. The teams with the highest total equity at the end of each session in each division and region receive cash prizes and awards.
Not only do students learn key saving and investing principles, but they also hone their math, business, communication, economics, and analytical skills.
The Stock Market Game™ is owned by the Securities Industry Financial Markets Association Foundation (SIFMA Foundation) and franchised to Economics Arkansas since 1999. The average annual participation has grown to more than 15,000 Arkansas students.
Financial support for The Stock Market Game™ program during the 2023-24 school year was provided by the Arkansas Securities Department and the Walton Family Foundation. Because of their support, students can participate in the simulation free of cost.
Economics Arkansas (through the Arkansas Council on Economic Education) is a private, non-profit, non-partisan, educational organization founded in 1962 by Dr. Arch Ford and led by Dr. Bessie B. Moore to promote economic literacy in Arkansas. Its mission is to equip PreK-12 schools with standards-based resources and professional development to teach economics, personal finance and the free-enterprise system using practical, innovative and inspiring methods so that Arkansas students may master an understanding of economics and personal finance and apply that knowledge for success in the free-enterprise system.
Economics Arkansas | P.O. Box 3447, Little Rock, AR 72203 | 501-682-4230 | www.economicsarkansas.org
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