CES stock market team wins state competition
By Jennifer Archibald Staff writer

Top elementary team This Carroll Elementary team proved to be shrewd investors as they took first place in a statewide school stock market competition. They won in the elementary division, and placed fifth overall. Members of the team are pictured above, l-r, - Jim Eller, Jordan Feasel, Erin Brickhouse, Rebekah Forgey. Comet photo by Jennifer Archibald

Students in Mike Hyman's fifth grade math classes at Carroll Elementary School learn more than just math. They learn how to invest money in the stock market.

In a statewide Stock Market Game competition among schools, a Carroll Elementary team came in first place in the elementary division. Carroll had five of the top seven elementary teams.

Two other divisions also competed - middle school and high school. Of the 1,300 teams in all levels of the competition, Carroll Elementary's winning team placed fifth overall.

This is the fourth year in a row that a Carroll Elementary team has been first in the state in the elementary division. Members of this year's winning team were Jim Eller, Jordan Feasel (CEO), Erin Brickhouse, and Rebekah Forgey.

Each semester, students in Mr. Hyman's math classes are divided into 20 teams, with four to five students on a team. Each team is given $100,000 (pretend money) to invest in the stock market.

The Stock Market Game, based on actual stock market prices, lasts for 10 weeks. At the end of the 10 weeks, the team with the most money wins.

The CES winning team turned their $100,000 into $118,000.

"In the stock market game, I learned how to invest in the stock market, and how to buy the right stocks," said Rebekah Forgey. "I enjoyed working as a team because I could always ask them questions if I didn't know something."

"It was a great learning experience," said Erin Brickhouse. "I learned that when you're in a business, it takes teamwork. You learn how to work together, buy and sell stocks."

The winning team members received their award May 7 at an award ceremony at Fort Harrison State Park in Indianapolis. The award was presented by Jeff Sanson and Harlan Day from Purdue University and the Indiana Council for Economic Education.