The Nebraska Council on Economic Education (NCEE) announced a new partnership with the FINRA Investor Education Foundation to expand access to the Stock Market Game for low- and moderate-income schools across the state.
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) is a non-governmental organization that regulates brokerage firms and brokers in the United States. The FINRA Investor Education Foundation aims to build a financially capable America through education and research.
Through the partnership, the Stock Market Game will be offered at no cost to all Nebraska middle and high schools where a substantial portion of the student body qualifies for free and reduced-price meals. More than 180 schools statewide meet this eligibility.
“We are actively reaching out to ensure every eligible school knows about this opportunity,” said Jennifer Davidson, president of NCEE. “The Stock Market Game is so much more than a game — it’s a life-changing experience. For students, and especially students in low- and moderate-income schools, it’s often their first real look at how investing works and how smart decisions can grow wealth over time. Thanks to this program, they’re gaining skills and confidence that will pay dividends for the rest of their lives.”
The Stock Market Game, run nationally by the SIFMA (Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association) Foundation, gives student teams a virtual $100,000 to invest over 12 weeks. Using a real-time trading platform with NASDAQ and American stock exchange data, students manage their portfolios while learning investing principles, financial decision-making and economic concepts. The program includes teacher training, a suite of optional curriculum materials and ongoing support.
Research by the American Institutes for Research found that the Stock Market Game improves academic performance, financial knowledge, and saving and investing habits among students, and positively influences the financial decisions of participating teachers.
“The FINRA Foundation is pleased to partner with the Nebraska Council on Economic Education to expand access to the Stock Market Game and build the next generation of investors throughout the state,” said Jessica Mardo, program manager of Investor Education Community Outreach for FINRA Investor Education Foundation.
Housed in the University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Business since its creation in 1965, NCEE is a nonpartisan nonprofit working to improve economic and financial literacy across Nebraska. The organization serves teachers and schools in all 93 Nebraska counties through professional development, academic competitions, advocacy, content and standards consulting, curriculum design, and in-school savings programs. Its programming is designed to encourage youth and families to take an interest in economics, increasing the likelihood that students will apply economic principles as consumers, savers, investors and workers.
Teachers interested in participating can learn more at https://business.unl.edu/StockMarketGame.
