Your NewsMag

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Your NewsMag

2021 | Vol.8 No.2

North Bellmore teams dominate in Stock Market Game The North Bellmore School District boasted the top three teams from Long Island in the 2021 Stock Market Game, sponsored by the SIFMA Foundation. Students participated from September through April in the simulation in which they invest fictitious money in real stocks.

Fifth and sixth graders in the ALPHA gifted and talented program, as well as sixth graders from Martin Avenue Elementary School, competed in this year’s game. North Bellmore had 16 of the 158 teams, including the first-, second- and third-place finThe second-place team included ALPHA students, clockwise ishers. Teams were from top left, Kamil Chaudhary, Brian Niedfeld, Elias Katz and ranked based on their A team from the North Bellmore School District’s ALPHA program Erik O’Sullivan. percentage of return finished first on Long Island in the Stock Market Game. Clockwise from above or below the top left are Lily Boehm, Emma Jaskowiak, Scarlett Wilson, Sofia Galargrowth of the S&P 500. za and Dahlia Petroro.

Each team started out with $100,000.

Third place went to a team of sixth they sold their Gayle Angert, sixth grade teacher at graders from Martin Avenue – Ryan stock later, Martin Avenue and the district’s ALPHA Ascher, Elias Katz, Matteo LaSpina and which could teacher, said North Bellmore students Nicholas Pascalli. They finished with have put them have been participating in the Stock $153,404 and a 29% rate of return above over the top.

Market Game for the past seven years as the S&P 500.

One of the an introduction to financial manageAmong the 2,022 teams from all of rules of the ment. Since this year’s ALPHA program New York State who competed, the Stock Market is held virtually after school, students three teams ranked 17th , 18th and 27th, Game is that from those teams met via videoconferrespectively. teams could ence.

“Our savvy traders swept the top three invest no The first-place team, from the ALPHA sports out of more than 150 middle more than program, consisted of fifth graders Lily school teams,” Ms. Angert said. “Every one-third of Boehm, Sofia Galarza, Emma Jaskowiak team had different strategies. We are so their money in and Dahlia Petroro from Saw Mill Road proud of all of the participants.” a single stock, Elementary School and Scarlett Wilson From the first-place team, Lily, Sofia, so they had to from Park Avenue Elementary School.

Emma, Dahlia and Scarlett said the exdiversify.

They finished with a total of $176,455 perience was a lot of fun and they “Every day and a 55% rate of return above the S&P learned about the importance of teamwe would Martin Avenue sixth graders, clockwise from top left, Elias Katz, 500 growth. work. They had to come together to check to see Matteo LaSpina, Ryan Ascher and Nicholas Pascalli placed third Ms. Angert noted how close the top make important decisions including how the on Long Island.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE NORTH BELLMORE SCHOOL DISTRICT two teams were, with only $800 separat- what stocks to buy, how much to buy stocks were ing them. The second-place team, also and how to spend their money wisely. doing,” Erik from the ALPHA program, consisted of The group chats were often spent anasaid. “It was exciting.” opportunities. sixth graders Kamil Chaudhary and Bri- lyzing information to see how their inThe young investors learned how to “It was a really good learning experian Niedfeld from John G. Dinkelmeyer vestments were going. identify market trends and how current ence,” Matteo said. “It helped me with Elementary School and Elias Katz and Many of the teams made their money events affect the financial world. They teamwork because you had to commuErik O’Sullivan from Martin Avenue. from Game Stop. Erik noted that his team also explored careers in the financial in- nicate with your team to decide what is Their rate of return above the S&P 500 bought 1,000 shares at $11, and they dustry and how the stock market can a good stock and what is not a good was also close behind, at 54%. would have actually made even more if work for them as adults for investment stock.”