Kylee Williamson, a Jamestown High School junior, is pictured with her prizes following a 10th place finish in the WNY JA Stock Market Challenge. Submitted photo

Jamestown High School junior Kylee Williamson, placed tenth out of 500 students participating in the WNY Junior Achievement’s April 2022 Stock Market Challenge.

Kylee was one of only three students who placed in the Top 10 and received the following awards for her Top 10 placement: a $10 Tops Markets gift card, Ken Rusk’s book “Blue Collar Cash” and an iPad.

“Kylee developed a solid investment portfolio that enabled her to achieve her financial success,” said Amy Schultze, Jamestown High School and JCC College Connections Introduction to Business teacher. “In class, students learned about the fundamentals of stocks and investment strategies. Kylee forged through a rough month in the stock market and came out a winner! Way to represent JHS!”

During the spring, both sections of the class, including 42 students, evaluated the fundamentals of investing. Kylee’s classmates discussed an individual’s risk tolerance and how it influences their investment decisions. Students investigated stock market concepts before they began the Stock Market Challenge, such as: earnings per share, price earnings ratio, average rate of returns, and other investment fundamentals. Learners evaluated the pros/cons of investing in diversified mutual funds versus investing in individual stocks.

“Providing students with a solid foundation in personal finance and business development will enable them to focus on long term financial planning and investment strategies,” Schultze said.

The purpose of the Junior Achievement Stock Market Challenge is to give students a better understanding of trading strategies and portfolio management. Students learned how to utilize a variety of financial instruments while balancing the risks and rewards of investment strategies and decisions. The Stock Market Challenge utilized real stock market quotes, trends, and analysis. Students made their own trades through the online stock market challenge platform HowtheMarketWorks.com using $25,000 of fictitious money.

Kylee Williamson