Last week, five Terra Linda High School students were deemed victorious for the stock market simulation, a California statewide event where competing students invest in an imitation market, all while learning the ins-and-outs of the United States economy. This new opportunity led Anthony Spinozzi, Justin Chang, Daniella Reyes, Aidan Summer, Nicole Gutierrez, and Bob Huang to fictitiously make over $78,000. These TL champions competed with approximately  4,500 like-minded students throughout the state.

Nicole Gutierrez, Terra Linda senior, described this event as, “an online simulation that allows individuals to experience a deeper understanding in the world of business through trials of saving and investing money.” Terra Linda’s economics program covers the stock market and its fundamentals, allowing intrigued students to explore the risks and rewards. Gutierrez also noted that the team’s communication and optimism was a key factor leading up to their win. 

Although this was a required assignment by Economics Teacher Randall Baker, the five winning students took this experience seriously, leading them to a more knowledgeable understanding of the stock market, and its functionality among our society. Gutierrez speaks to this, “our team heard about this game through our economics teacher, Mr Baker. He’s the G.O.A.T. of economics and without his informative classes along with his insightful teachings, Terra Linda High School would not have placed in first.”

Along with many congratulations from classmates, Superintendent Jim Hogeboom came to Baker’s classroom on Monday, bearing gifts of pizza and certificates of achievement.

High schoolers were not the only ones participating. Surrounding schools within the Bay Area also received accreditation for their achievements. Representing the elementary school division, Franklin Elementary School, of Oakland, placed first in their bracket. The middle school division’s first place nominee was listed as Westborough Middle of South San Francisco. This data was provided from the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association, the parent company of The Stock Market Game.

Senior Anthony Spinozzi shared the strategy he believes helped them win the competition. “We collaborated to win the competition by having the team look for stocks and having me decipher if they were worth the investment or were not.” Spinozzi also shared their stats from the game where they won first place in the entire state of California, competition-coordinator region, and San Francisco region. A notable stock market game experience that sticks with him is, “when all my picks turned out to be excellent picks as I also made a lot of money in real life as I invested in real life as I invested in the game.”