Ninth Grader Excels in Stock Market Competition!

What’s it like to be an expert in the stock market and you’re only a ninth grader? Just ask Ranney student Jimmy Soldati who ranked first in the New Jersey Stock Market Game, South Jersey, High School Division.

Jimmy, who placed first out of 130 teams, began with a $100,000 ‘virtual portfolio.’ He wisely invested in a diverse portfolio of stocks, bonds and mutual funds ending with an almost 30% return on his investment. Not bad for a high school student working in a mercurial economy.

The Stock Market Game is a nationwide stock market simulation designed to teach young people about finance and investing. Sponsored by the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA) Foundation for Investor Education, it is the only stock market simulation endorsed by the New York Stock Exchange.

In addition to Jimmy’s victory, Ranney fielded 5 teams in this year’s Stock Market Game competition. Fellow Ranney student, Thomas Najmy, a junior, finished in 8th place. They were among 12 Ranney students who represented the Upper School for the first time as part of their newly developed team this year.

According to Marie Curry, faculty advisor to this year’s team, student participation has multiple benefits. In addition to the competitive and fun aspects of the game, students have an opportunity to “gain a greater understanding of the role the market plays in many of the top news stories today.” Adds Curry, “Someday, they will be investing their own dollars, not just “virtual money” and their participation in this kind of program provides them with “the necessary tools for investing that they can apply to their own portfolios in the future.”

For additional information on all Ranney School news, please contact the Communications Department at communications@ranneyschool.org.