Econ Illinois:
The Stock Market Game program
InvestWrite Essay Competition
Winners, Spring, 2009
Teachers whose students participate in The Stock Market Game are strongly encouraged to submit student essays to the national InvestWrite competition. InvestWrite is the language arts component of the SMG, and offers an opportunity for additional learning and competition.
Competition is divided into three grade levels: Grades 4-5, Grades 6-8 and Grades 9-12. Ten top essays are awarded national recognition. The top entry in Illinois, following the top ten national entries, is awarded the designation of "State Winner" for that grade-level.
Students write an essay in response to a given grade-level question or topic. The essay topic is changed every semester. The teacher can select a maximum of five essays per class to submit online for national judging - thus, the teacher is asked to pre-judge the class' essays.
InvestWrite is a program of Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association Foundation for Investor Education. Visit the InvestWrite web site and learn how SMG teachers can participate. You will find a link to past winners as well as names of those professionals who volunteered to judge the entries.
Nationally, over 2,400 student essays were judged by national judges. Many more students wrote essays at the classroom level, but teachers could only submit five essays from each SMG class. Over 1,000 professionals from the business and education community volunteered to judge the anonymous entries.
Illinois Winners, Spring 2009
Grades 4 - 5
National Winner: Receiving ninth place nationally, in the grades 4-5 division, is Scott Shadrick, from Isaac Fox Elementary School, Lake Zurich District 95. Scott's teacher is Laura Raineri. Scott receives a $100 gift card and a special certificate of award. Ms Raineri receives a $50 gift card and certificate of award. Scott's parents also receive certificates of appreciation for their support of their child's learning. The school receives a "pizza party" for the classroom of the winning student.
Awards were presented during an in-school ceremony June 4, by Dr. Daniel Condon, Director of the Dominican University Center for Economic Education.
Read Scott's essay and the question he addressed.
Grades 6 - 8
State Winner: Katie Gohres, St Therese Elementary School, Chicago, wrote the State Winning essay for grades 6-8. Katie's teacher/advisor is Ron Mark. Mr. Mark is an investment professional and was asked by the school to coordinate and teach an after-school program for interested students at the school. Around 30 students signed up for The Stock Market Game simulation at St Therese, in which they managed a $100,000 portfolio. Mr. Mark introduced the InvestWrite essay question, explaining concepts and terms. Writing the essay was optional, and he received about nine entries. From those, he selected five to submit online for the formal judging. Katie emerged as the top Illinois essay in her grade level.
The State Winner receives a $50 gift card and an InvestWrite certificate of award. The teacher also receives a $50 gift card and certificate of recognition. The student's class received a classroom "pizza" party.
Therese Elementary School was recognized at the May 13 Awards Reception at Tribune Tower, honoring all Spring 2009 Stock Market Game winners in the City of Chicago. Katie's parents also received certificates of appreciation for their support of Katie's learning.
Read Katie's essay and the question she addressed.
Grades 9 - 12
State Winner: Receiving the award State Winner in the grades 9-12 division is Steven Romanelli, West Chicago Community High School. Steven's teacher is Donald Zabelin. Steven receives a $50 gift card and a special certificate of award. Mr Zabelin receives a $50 gift card and certificate of award. Steven's parents also receive certificates of appreciation for their support of their child's learning.
Mr. Zabelin and Steven were recognized by Econ Illinois during a year-end award ceremony at the Community High School District 94 Administration office on May 15. Also being recognized during that ceremony are the First Place Prairie State High School Region team from the spring session of the SMG, which also received the Cabrera Statewide Award, high school- and traveled to New York City June 1-3. Additionally, the Championship 2009 Illinois Personal Finance Challenge team, and the Championship David Ricardo division team from Economics Challenge 2009 were honored! Steven was a participant in all awards except the Economics Challenge team!
Read Steven's essay and the question he addressed.