‘Worked out’: Chagrin Falls High School students win Stock Market Challenge, advance to nationals

Tino Bovenzi
·2 min read

CHAGRIN FALLS, Ohio (WJW) – Four financial literacy students from Chagrin Falls High School claimed the top prize in the Junior Achievement Stock Market Challenge last Friday at the Federal Reserve in downtown Cleveland.

“We were kind of the underdogs coming in, no one really believed in us,” sophomore Jack Keegan said. “We were there to have fun. We had fun and we came out on top.”

Keegan, Junior Cooper Ryan and sophomores Jack Orazen and Alec Gresh said they barely qualified for the competition.

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“We kind of had the mentality of shoot big, take some risks and it worked out for us,” Ryan said.

Chagrin Falls High School business teacher John Bakalar said the students had to move quickly to get the best return on investment on the mock stock market floor.

“It’s all fictional, so it’s about how they’re able to kind of analyze what’s going on, on the news, what government regulations come out when financial reports come out, like, in terms of earnings seasons and things like that,” Bakalar said. “It’s 60 Minutes (representing 60 days), but it’s broken into a 30-minute session and then a half time. And so, every minute is a day.”

The team named “Straight Cash Homie,” a tribute to Randy Moss, more than quadrupled their mock stock funds to a total of $4.1 million. Earning a $500 prize and a spot in nationals in May.

“I’m definitely proud,” Orazen said. “And I didn’t even know the Federal Reserve was such a big deal. I told my parents and they thought it was super cool. I was just excited to be there, and did not expect to win, but I’m definitely happy with the outcome.”

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The students hope the hot streak continues in the virtual competition this spring.

“Maybe a Top 10, I’d love to win,” Gresh said. “You gotta play it by ear and see. It’s going to be a lot more stiff competition because everybody in nationals.”

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