Junior Achievement Announces Winners of 2023 Spring Virtual Stock Market Challenge

News Release
May 15, 2023

For more information, contact:
Alycia Ivancie
Education Director
716-853-1381, ext. 215
aivancie@jawny.org

Junior Achievement Announces Winners of Spring Virtual Stock Market Challenge

(Buffalo, NY) – During the month of April, 618 WNY students participated in a lively, month-long competition of trading through their participation in the Junior Achievement Virtual Stock Market Challenge. Students represented twenty schools from across WNY and competed to take top prize.

Prior to the JA Stock Market Challenge, JA provides their JA Take Stock in Your Future curriculum to introduce students to basic concepts about how the market works and the impact of current events. The curriculum also includes a series of self-guided extension activities for students to engage in deeper learning about the stock market and investing.

Wells Fargo is the Presenting sponsor of this unique and interactive JA learning experience, with one competition held earlier this school year and another session during this spring semester.

The competition was held online and allowed students to experience the real-life stock market in a simulated environment. Students chose to compete as individuals or as teams. Participants began with a $25,000 starting portfolio and were encouraged to make transactions throughout the month. Leaderboards were dynamic and shared weekly using the hashtag #JAWNYStockMarketChallenge.

At the close of competition, Junior Achievement of Western New York (JAWNY) is pleased to recognize our top three winners. Taking 1^st place was Greta Nordwall from Jamestown High School, 2^nd place Allison Wormley from Batavia High School, and 3^rd place Maddison Dennis from Batavia High School.

Allison Wormley said, “It was a really great experience being able to see what the stock market was like and I loved having the opportunity to be a part of it.”

Maddison Dennis said, “I really enjoyed learning about the stock market and getting the chance to be involved, it really improved my understanding of the market. I definitely did not expect to win!”

Rounding out the Top 5 rankings are:

4^th place: Connor Burkestone – Niagara Falls High School

5^th place: Anna Baratta- Niagara Falls High School

Participating Schools:

Erie County: Alden High School, Amherst High School, East Aurora High School, Eden High School, Hamburg High School, Kenmore East High School, Pioneer High School, St. Francis High School

Niagara County: Lockport High School, Niagara Falls High School

Genesee County: Alexander High School, Batavia High School, LeRoy High School

Chautauqua County: Cassadaga Valley High School, Falconer High School, Jamestown High School

This program is not possible without support from our partners: Wells Fargo, Presenting Sponsor; additional support from: Delta Air Lines; HSBC Bank USA N.A.; The Lenna Foundation; Bryant & Stratton College; Bank on Buffalo; Tops Friendly Markets; Zgoda & Associates CPAs, PC; Perry’s Ice Cream; PwC; Reid/Crosby’s; Seneca Foods Foundation; Deloitte; Evans Bank; KPMG; Lawley; Linde LLC; Lippes Mathias LLP; National Fuel; Phillips Lytle LLP; SEFCU; West Herr Auto Group; WSF Industries, Inc; Assure Partners Buffalo; Financial Trust Federal Credit Union; Freed Maxick CPA’s; L&M Wealth Management; Lakelet Capital LLC; Northwest Bank; and TriMain Development LLC.

Proceeds from the JA Virtual Stock Market Challenge support Junior Achievement’s financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and career & work-readiness pathway programs for kindergarten-12 grade students. For more information about Junior Achievement programs, visit www.jawny.org.