Utah launches new stock market investment challenge for students

Logan Stefanich
·2 min read
A Wall Street sign is seen in front of the flag-draped facade of the New York Stock Exchange May 11, 2007. The Beehive State is launching a new program to help students from elementary to high school gain more stock market savvy.
A Wall Street sign is seen in front of the flag-draped facade of the New York Stock Exchange May 11, 2007. The Beehive State is launching a new program to help students from elementary to high school gain more stock market savvy. | Richard Drew, Associated Press

The Beehive State is launching a new program to help students from elementary to high school gain more stock market savvy.

Utah State Treasurer Marlo Oaks on Monday announced the Utah Treasurer's Investment Challenge administered by the Office of State Treasurer and the Utah Financial Empowerment Coalition, replacing the former Stock Market Game.

The statewide investment challenge is a 10-week Wall Street investing simulation that's open to students in grades 4-12 as well as home-schooled students, providing them with knowledge about the United States economy and the framework to navigate and utilize financial markets.

"When integrated with other curriculum, the simulation helps students understand stock market dynamics, how future revenue and earnings growth expectations drive stock prices, the risks involved in short-term market fluctuations and other investment concepts," Oaks said in a release.

During the 10-week simulation, teams of three to five students will invest a hypothetical $100,000 into common stocks and diversified investment funds traded on major stock exchanges like the Nasdaq Composite, the New York Stock Exchange and the S&P 500.

Throughout the simulation, the teams will submit their transactions and can monitor their portfolios. At the end of the simulation, three teams in each division — ranked based on the ending value of their investment portfolios — will be recognized at an awards banquet.

Funded through donations from community partners, there is no cost to teachers or schools for students to participate.

"The Utah Treasurer's Investment Challenge is a simulation of Wall Street trading that provides a framework for teaching Utah students about the U.S. economy and financial markets. The challenge is designed for classroom use to help students understand the stock market, the costs and benefits involved in economic decision-making, the sources and uses of capital and other related economic concepts in an integrated manner with other curriculum. It is intended to be a catalyst for further study of and interest in free enterprise capitalism," says the challenge's website.

More information and steps to register can be found here.