“The stock market challenge was a fun experience.  It was very nerve racking near the end, but we pulled out a victory thanks to Jake Szarowski’s decision on buying the JA stock.  Overall, it was a great experience; and I would highly recommend the younger grades to join in the competition.”

~ Thomas Bebak, "Bros United" West Seneca East HS

  “The JA Stock Market Challenge was absolutely exhilarating.  There was such positive energy everywhere and everyone was so friendly.  It teaches us the basics of buying and selling stock.  It’s a very good learning experience; and I feel that it should be a requirement to go at least once for all Finance Academy students.”

~ Alex Boccolucci, "Bros United" West Seneca East HS

“The JA stock market game was a thrilling experience, as Bros United overcame a huge deficit and jumped into first place on the final day.  It was a great experience to represent our school and take home first place!”

~ Blade Sorrentino , "Bros United" West Seneca East HS

“The stock market challenge was a fun and exciting event hosted by Junior Achievement.  At the 53-day mark, we decided to invest all of our money into the JA stock, it had seemed to be crashing; and we hoped it would turn around.  As we purchased close to $1,000,000 worth of the stock, it turned around.  During the last three days of the challenge, the Bros United team shot up into first place!  At the very end, the JA stock was the hot stock, rising almost $6 since we had made the purchase.  With two days left, we moved into first and won the competition by over $120,000.”

~ Jake Szarowski, "Bros United", West Seneca East HS

In second place, the Stock Jocks from Springville-Griffith Institute had a 211% increase in their portfolio and in third place, OP2 from Orchard Park High School had a 204% increase in their portfolio. 

Prior to the Student Challenge, JA provided an in-class educational guide called JA Take Stock in Your Future, sponsored by HSBC Bank USA, N.A. The guide teaches important facts about investments and the stock market in order to enhance students’ overall learning experience.

In appreciation of their support, corporate sponsors were invited to participate in a Corporate Challenge in the evening.  The winners of the Corporate Challenge (pictured left) for the second year in a row were from TOPS Markets. They were followed closely by Perry’s Ice Cream who took second.  Third place went to Blue Cross Blue Shield.

Prizes were awarded to the top three teams at both the Student and Corporate Challenge and both number one teams took home the JA Stock Market Challenge Traveling Bull Trophy for the year!

Participating High Schools for the 2011 Stock Market Challenge included: Bennett, Clarence, Dunkirk, East, Emerson School of Hospitality, Frontier, Hamburg, Lafayette, Lockport, Orchard Park, Springville-Griffith Institute, South Park, St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute, West Seneca East, West Seneca West and WNY Maritime Charter School.

Proceeds from The JA Stock Market Challenge support the Student Challenge as well as Junior Achievement’s financial literacy, entrepreneurship and work-readiness programs for K-12^th grade students throughout Western New York. Junior Achievement of WNY, Inc. reaches more than 12,000 students in 144 schools and community sites each year.