LINCOLN, Neb. — Hundreds of Nebraska high school students participated in the 10th annual Junior Achievement Stock Challenge at Pinnacle Bank Arena on [insert date].
More than 600 students from various schools engaged in a fast-paced stock market simulation, according to Toni Rupe, President and CEO of Junior Achievement. The simulation allows students to trade stocks based on real market data.
“Students have a curriculum leading up to this to help them understand how the stock market works and the different things that impact the trades,” Rupe said.
Participants formed groups to compete in building the largest portfolio using simulated funds. North Star High School student Noah Kak explained, “This is a stock-building competition… It is with fake money, but it's a fun learning experience.”
Throughout the event, students received updates from an information table, which included factors that could influence stock prices. Grand Island High School student Mya Myers noted that newsletters provided key market developments, stating, “They'll tell you if something happened, like if there's a war or a sponsorship deal that caused a stock to spike.”
Rupe mentioned that students have expressed interest in finance careers after participating in the challenge. The organization aims to continue offering the event statewide, including both virtual and in-person formats, to reach students in rural areas.
“We want to ensure that this opportunity is accessible to students across Nebraska,” Rupe said.