Creating Savvy Investors

In John Seifert’s 12th grade economics class students are learning very valuable skills they will take with them to college and beyond: financial literacy and responsibility. The highlight of the class? The Stock Market Game. John says, “It’s an economics class tradition!” The online simulation-based program, which takes place each year from September through April, is designed to give students the opportunity to explore the stock market without actual financial risk. They learn about what makes companies profitable, how corporations work, competitive products, and more.

As students play the game throughout the school year it mirrors the curriculum of the class. “Current events, corporations, the economy, all of these topics intersect in this class and then students are able to apply what they have learned to the game,” explains John. “We’ve had some really good conversations recently,” John notes. “ Students are noticing that as inflation has risen in real life, things are costing more money and they are curious about it. They want to know the why and how.” Students are also learning the importance of investment discipline and how to put emotions aside when companies don’t do as well as expected.

“My hope is that this experience will breed confidence for investing in their real lives. They will leave MMFS with some education and some skills that they can take with them into the future and hopefully they will make choices that they believe in that will also be sound.”