2:42 p.m., Jan. 28, 2010----Three teams of elementary and high school students who picked stocks that gained value during a 10-week period in fall 2009 were awarded certificates during a ceremony on Thursday, Jan. 21, at the University of Delaware's Newark campus.

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The students were competing in The Stock Market Game, an educational simulation that introduces students to Wall Street by allowing them to invest a hypothetical $100,000 in a portfolio of common stocks listed on the New York and American stock exchanges and the NASDAQ stock market.

More than 1,600 Delaware students participated in the online contest, an educational tool that has been offered exclusively by UD's Center for Economic Education and Entrepreneurship since 1983, said James B. O'Neill, director of the center.

Students formed teams and selected stocks, and then watched their money grow or diminish in competition with other teams in the state.

In building a portfolio, students research and evaluate stocks, and make decisions based on what they've learned. Teams trade common stocks and mutual funds from the New York Stock Exchange, Nasdaq and the American Stock Exchange; earn interest on cash balances; pay interest if buying on margin and pay a commission on all trades.

In the schools category, the winning team in the grades 4-6 segment was Simeon Dailey, Billy McBride and Zaiyre Laker from Leasure Elementary School in Bear with a gain of $12,936.

Michael Hayes, Ben Louden, Jordan Long and Zack Pease from The Pilot School in Wilmington won the prize in the grades 7-8 segment with a gain of $20,067.

Edwin Rivas and Tylisha Webster from Howard High School of Technology in Wilmington made stock choices that earned $13,901 for their portfolio to win the prize in the grades 9-12 segment.

"This is a valuable experience for the students, who will be the investors of tomorrow," O'Neill said. "Students who learn about the stock market are better-equipped to make good financial decisions in the future. This simulation is a fun and interactive way to offer very useful lessons."

Since 1977, The Stock Market Game has drawn more than 10 million participants, giving educators a way to improve the learning experience in thousands of classrooms. Teachers have successfully used the program to enliven core academic subjects, including math, social studies and language arts.

Article by Martin A Mbugua
Photos by Ambre Alexander