Two high-school teams from the North Charleston-based Metanoia Youth Leadership Academy outplayed a field of 522 entrants from across the state to claim a 1-2 finish in the Spring 2015 Stock Market Game. The 1st and 2nd place finishers achieved 25% and 18% returns above S&P 500 growth, respectively. “There’s a lot of money to be made in the stock market and in owning your own business. It’s exciting,” said Metanoia student Iluv Washington. Two other Metanoia teams finished in 4th and 7th place.
Students began with $100,000 in virtual cash and made trades based on actual stock market numbers. The students were advised by a Metanoia staff member, Craig Logan, and local retired investment banker Charles Larsen. Said Larsen about his experience, “These students get the real credit. They were committed and competitive. They researched great stocks, stuck with them and won. Anyone working on Wall Street today would be happy to be doing this well.”
The Stock Market Game is a 10-week competitive stock market simulation for students across South Carolina. Each year, more than 6,000 students in grades 4-12 participate. Available to public, private and home schools, along with community organizations, the Stock Market Game is the economic education organization SC Economics’ signature program for students.
Metanoia, based in Chicora-Cherokee in North Charleston, SC, is a holistic community development corporation that operates a Youth Leadership Academy, a quality affordable housing development effort and continues to facilitate a number of community-led neighborhood initiatives. In addition to academic excellence, high school students of the Youth Leadership Academy focus on financial, entrepreneurial and life skill development.