Henrico elementary schools placed first and second in the Virginia Council on Economic Education’s Stock Market Game during the recent spring round.

The contest invites teams of students in grades 4-12 to invest fictional $100,000 portfolios in the stock market during a 10-week period. Students research and manage stocks as a way to learn about money, finance and investing while practice math skills.

In the spring round, a team in Todd Wasserman’s class at Nuckols Farm Elementary (pictured above right, left to right: Wasserman, Olivia I., Maura G., Mark G. and Andrew C.) came in first place with a final portfolio balance of $113,302.84.

At Springfield Park Elementary, a team in Karen Nowicki’s class (pictured above left, left to right: Nowicki, Stephen Ingram, Chad Hickey, Aidan Hemstreet and Karthik Nair) came in second place, just a few dollars behind with $113,157.00. In the fall competition, a Godwin High School team advised by Hunter Thomas came in second in
the high school division, finishing with a portfolio valued at $109,309.70

All of the winning teams were invited to attend an awards ceremony at the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Business May 17, where students shared their investment strategies, successful and unsuccessful.

Teachers use the Stock Market Game to help meet the state’s standards in math, social studies, and personal finance. The program offers students life skills, such as collaboration and cooperation while working in small teams. Students also get a first-hand look at economic concepts, such as the way supply and demand affects prices as well as the effects of world events on financial markets.

The Stock Market Game, which involves more than11,000 students statewide, is played in both the fall and spring. About 1,300 students participated in the VCU Region Spring 2011 SMG. For details, visit the SMG link at http://www.vcee.org or call 828-6054.