Wall Street forecasts bright futures for these young high school investors
ALBANY—Students from Shaker High School’s Financial Decision Making classes secured the top three spots in this year’s Junior Achievement Stock Market Challenge, competing against hundreds of peers from across the Capital Region in a fast-paced, real-time investment simulation.
The competition, held Thursday at the Broadview Center on the University at Albany campus, brought together teams of students from 11 school districts to test their financial knowledge and decision-making skills. Each team was given a virtual $1 million portfolio to invest in a simulated stock market that responded to rapid-fire news updates, emulating the unpredictable nature of real-world financial markets.
Three teams from Shaker emerged at the top of the leaderboard by the end of the event, earning first, second, and third place rankings based on return on investment. The first-place team, “Shaker Trade Titans,” included Alexander Ridley, Aidan Erickson, Robert (R.J.) Chapman, and Avery Jones. Their portfolio saw a 44.56 percent return, the highest of the day.
Second place went to “Trading Titans,” composed of Zyair Doyle, Jason Bailey, Aydin Liton, and Nicholas Mirabile, with a 37.94 percent return. Close behind, “Shaker Profit Squad” secured third place with a 36.64 percent return, led by Charlie Bevevino, Talyn Chernosky, Ashlynn Phoenix, and Anthony Tleiji.
Hosted by Junior Achievement of Northeastern New York, the simulation was designed to give students a practical, high-energy experience in financial decision-making. As part of the experience, local news anchors Trishna Begam and K.C. Kantz of NEWS10 ABC delivered simulated market news updates while large displays tracked the real-time fluctuations in stock performance and team standings. Market “days” progressed in a matter of minutes, requiring teams to respond quickly to changing conditions.
To prepare, Shaker’s Financial Decision Making students received in-class visits from professionals working in finance, who offered guidance on investment strategies and insights into how real markets operate. The challenge reinforced classroom lessons on risk, diversification, and economic trends.
The event was coordinated by the Business Education Department at Shaker High School as part of its broader efforts to introduce students to financial literacy and real-world applications of economic theory.
