Intelligent Investors: East team masters stock market at national contest

July 11, 2025

Three East High School students enjoyed a bull-market experience this summer by placing in the top ten spots at a national stock market challenge.

Ronav, Anish and George showcased their savvy financial skills at the Junior Achievement (JA) Stock Market Challenge in Atlanta. The three Spartans earned eighth place in the 45-team contest by making a series of wise investment decisions. The group increased its original $1 million amount to $1,144,907 by the end of the 90-minute session.

Anish and Ronav said they enjoyed the fast-paced and realistic nature of the stock market simulation. Teams reacted to market trends and breaking news with critical thinking, flexibility, communication and financial literacy skills. They learned how rapidly stock prices can change and realized the importance of making quick but informed decisions.

“I liked working as part of a team, discussing strategies and trying to predict how the market would react,” Anish said. “It was exciting to see our choices immediately affect our portfolio value, and it taught me a lot about investing, risk management and staying calm under pressure.”

“It was exciting to apply financial concepts in real time, work with my team, and see our decisions impact our standing in the market,” Ronav said. “Being around so many driven students from across the country also made the experience inspiring and unforgettable.”

The East trio qualified for the national contest by winning the JA of Lincoln Stock Market Challenge earlier this spring. JA is a nonprofit organization that teaches students about economic literacy topics. There are more than 100 local JA chapters across the country.

JA of Lincoln Director of Programs and Experiences Kennedy Hecker said she was happy to hear about the Spartans’ productive trip to nationals. She felt the good results reflected well on both students and teachers.

“Seeing Nebraska students compete and succeed at a national level is so exciting, and a huge point of pride,” Hecker said. “Placing eighth out of 45 teams is no small feat. It speaks volumes about their preparation and collaboration. It’s also a testament to the educators who help bring these experiences to the classroom.”

Lori Anderson-Stowe teaches business and technology classes at East and accompanied the trio to nationals. East teams have won the Lincoln-based stock market competition before, but this was the first year that the school competed at an in-person national event. She said it was encouraging to see how their economic research gave them a winning edge.

“I am so very proud of how well this team did,” Anderson-Stowe said. “They were very detailed in going over the various companies and creating their investment plan. They worked extremely well together and were dedicated to doing well for each other.”

JA Stock Market Challenge students tried to maximize their portfolio’s value as much as possible after 90 trading days. Each trading day lasted 60 seconds and required teams to make high-speed choices.

Schools received a list of potential stocks to buy for their original portfolios in late May. They reviewed company descriptions and historical data before picking their $1 million starting lineups.

Each group could buy or sell different stock options during the simulation. They had to always hold at least 100 shares in a minimum of three different stocks throughout the 90 days, and they had to submit their stock trades through floor traders at the event.

Anish and Ronav said the contest’s unpredictable nature made it both exciting and stressful. Schools encountered sudden product recalls, resignations of top executives and rumors of company mergers that shook the market.

One of the most memorable scenarios came when the Spartans learned that one of the companies in their portfolio had experienced a major website crash, causing its stock to plummet. The team had to decide whether to sell or hold the stock with only limited information about the cause and severity of the website problem.

East had to change investment plans again when a tech company’s stock sank due to a scandal. A third tipping point came when an unexpected interest rate hike caused havoc with multiple businesses.

Anish and Ronav said it was reassuring to know the group was able to weather the market storms and come out with a sunny profit.

“Overcoming those challenges felt really rewarding because it showed that staying flexible and reacting calmly to bad news can protect your investments,” Anish said. “It boosted my confidence knowing we could adjust our strategy quickly and still come out ahead.”

“At first, it was stressful, but once we regrouped and adjusted our strategy, it actually felt amazing to see our quick thinking pay off,” Ronav said. “It reminded me how important it is to stay calm and flexible, even when everything’s changing around you.”

Hecker hoped the team’s success would inspire other students to become more knowledgeable about savings accounts, stock markets and strategic investments. She said the stock market activity was one way they could create enriching and long-lasting educational portfolios.

“The JA Stock Market Challenge is an incredible opportunity for students to build financial literacy and future-ready business skills,” Hecker said. “In a fast-paced, competitive environment, students apply concepts like investing, risk management and teamwork in real time. It’s hands-on learning that brings financial education to life.”

Curious about more LPS business learning opportunities? Visit our Career and Technical Education website at https://home.lps.org/cte/ to explore our CTE areas of study and student organizations.

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