SHAMOKIN - Students who participated in this year's EconomicsPennsylvania Stock Market Game, sponsored locally by Sunbury Motors and The News-Item, were treated to lunch, awards, door prizes - and some valuable advice about business and life - at the annual recognition luncheon Thursday at Original Italian Pizza.
Members of the top three teams in both the high school and middle school divisions were recognized, as were all of the participants.
Each team begins the 10-week competition with a hypothetical $100,000 the members use to invest, using real-world stock trading as measurements of their success.
Winning team members, who received savings bonds and other gifts, included:
High school: first place, North Schuylkill, adviser Laurel Kolva and student participants Danielle Lauderman, Rachael Metzinger, Sarah Metzinger and Abby Warner, who ended with $102,113; second, Mount Carmel, adviser Rob Scicchitano and students Tommy Hynoski and Cassandra Niglio, $101,365; and third, Line Mountain, adviser Jeffrey Lagerman and students Dalton Frits, Mike Hinkley, Kelsey Lagerman, Ryan Paczkoskie, Marissa Scipio, Ben Williard and James Yocum, $100,575.
Middle school: first place, Line Mountain, adviser Lagerman and students Kelsey Hatzel and Anna Osman, $100,394; second, Mount Carmel, adviser Aaron Domanski and students Tommy Lynott, Peyton Worhach and Mason Duran, $100,045; and third, North Schuylkill, adviser Kolva and students Ryan Hillbush, Emily Long, Alexandra Morgan and Jessica Yeneski, $97,121.
Valuable advice
Tom Mertz, co-owner of Sunbury Motors, offered his list of important practices for life and business, ranging from making decisions that benefit a company long-term versus those that are short-sighted money-makers; clearly communicating expectations to employees and even spouses; admitting mistakes and vowing to improve rather than making excuses; and surrounding yourself with people who have strengths that you don't.
Andy Heintzelman, editor of The News-Item, spoke about the Stock Market Game's practical, real-world educational value.
Moss saluted
Carolyn Shirk, who organizes the game for EconomicsPennsylvania in dozens of schools throughout eastern and central Pennsylvania, gave special recognition to Daniel Moss, who retired as a teacher at Our Lady of Lourdes Regional School in January, but who was instrumental in involving Lourdes' students in the Stock Market Game for a number of years.
Moss told students at the luncheon that the Stock Market Game truly is "about life," from the financial principles it teaches to the notion that successful investing in the stock market will be crucial for the coming generations who won't have the same value from the Social Security system that exists today.
"I'm so thankful this is happening to me, because I love the Stock Market Game," Moss said about the unexpected recognition.
A cake reading "Congratulations Dan Moss" was enjoyed in his honor.