“I definitely didn’t expect the event to be like this, so I think overall, I learned a lot more about how the stock market works. The competition was a big team-building thing, and I think a big part our success was keeping track of our progress.”
-Avery, Evergreen High School student
The Junior Achievement Stock Market Challenge educates high school students about investing and trading in the stock market in a hands-on, high-tech simulation of the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. The program includes the JA Take Stock in Your Future curriculum prior to the event.
New Game-Based Virtual Option Now Available
For the 2020-2021 school year, the JA Stock Market Challenge is available virtually using a brand new, game-based app, providing students with a similar experience to real-world stock trading apps. Now students can research and invest in real-world brands they are familiar with, while stock performance directly mirrors the real-world market.
Starting with $25,000 in virtual funds, students can compete with their classmates to build the largest portfolio. A leaderboard built into the app helps fuel this friendly competition. We recommend giving students several weeks to monitor their stock portfolio performance and make trades, so they begin to understand how real-world news and events impact the stock market.

Prior to the JA Stock Market Challenge, teachers will be given the required JA Take Stock in Your Future curriculum, which can be delivered by a live virtual volunteer, via prerecorded video lessons made by JA volunteers, or by the teacher. The curriculum includes two lessons covering an overview of stocks and the stock market, concepts of trading stocks, dividends, investment strategies, and risk. Additional curriculum extensions are also available, which include self-guided lessons covering diversification and risk, analyzing IPO’s, smart investing, data gathering, private versus public companies, and factors that influence the stock market.
Request the JA Stock Market Challenge for Your Classroom, or Get in Touch With Us!
The JA Stock Market Challenge simulation and the Take Stock in Your Future curriculum are free of cost to schools. To request this program today for your classroom or school, please visit our program request page. If you have questions, please reach out to Leah Caputo at LCaputo@jacolorado.org (Denver Metro) or Kelsey Noroski at KNoroski@jacolorado.org (Northern Colorado & Wyoming). Thank you!
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