More than 550 students from 11 area high schools competed in the Northern Colorado JA Stock Market Challenge on Nov. 11 at Colorado State University.

The JA Stock Market Challenge is a live stock market simulation game, featuring teams of high school students who compete to see who can grow their initial $500,000 investment into the largest net worth “mock” stock portfolio. Students apply what they have learned in the JA Take Stock in Your Future classroom lessons about individual equities, the impact of the economy, geopolitical events, and market sentiment, all against the backdrop of competing with their peers. The challenge offers a taste of what it’s like to build a portfolio, manage risk, and experience its performance in a compressed period of time. All the energy and excitement of the stock trading floor is simulated in this innovative, interactive, high-tech event.

The Fort Collins event is based on the successful Denver-area JA Stock Market Challenge that is now in its 12th year. “We are so thrilled to offer this important and exciting financial literacy program to students in Northern Colorado,” said Kelsey Ransom, JA high school program manager. “In addition to having a great time, this program gives students the unique opportunity to experience the power of investing first-hand.”

Teams from these Northern Colorado high schools participated in the JA Stock Market Challenge: Centennial High School, Platte Valley High School, Fort Collins High School, Rocky Mountain High School, Fort Morgan High School, Roosevelt High School, Highland High School, University High School, Longmont High School, Valley High School, and Loveland High School.  Teams from Rocky Mountain High School, Roosevelt High School, Fossil Ridge High School, and Centennial High School took home the trophies for highest net worth and highest portfolio growth.

JA Stock Market Challenge event sponsors, including the Tointon Family Foundation, Flood & Peterson, and Soukup, Bush & Associates, enabled JA to provide the student event to participating schools at no cost. The event was also supported by a corporate fundraising version of the JA Stock Market Challenge that was held Nov. 10. The corporate event raised approximately $40,000 and engaged more than 150 adults. The team from Phelps Tointon, Inc. took home both of the top prizes.