They may not be ready for Wall Street, but three Great Bend High School students are one step closer. And so are nearly two dozen of their classmates.
Hiss-Sherman Wealth Management sponsored a contest during the month of February in which students were “given” $100,000 to invest according to what they have been learning in class and their own discretion.
The top three winners were Angelica Calzada, first; Blake Ridgel, second; and Michael Harbaugh, third. They were rewarded for their efforts with gift cards provided by the local investment firm.
“The contest only lasted for one month and Angelica’s return in her portfolio was 5.16 percent,” said Lacy Wolters, investment class teacher. “A common theme among all three of the winners was owning Netflix.
“This was a great opportunity for our students to apply what they are learning in the classroom to a real-life simulation,” Wolters said. “Students were able to experience the movement of the market when returns were both positive and negative.
“They made individual decisions regarding what investments to own, when to buy and when to sell,” she said. “Many students checked their portfolios throughout the day and were very engaged in the process.”
“February was a kind of a crazy month for students to get their feet wet,” said Matt Hiss, investment advisor representative with Hiss-Sherman Wealth Management. “I’m pleased they did so well.
“We hope this helped give students a good, real-life foundation in the world of investments and financial planning,” Hiss said. “We are happy to have been able to partner with the school and give students this experience.”