Three members of Mars Area Centennial School’s Stock Market Club were honored at the 2018-2019 SIFMA Foundation Stock Market Game Western Pennsylvania Region Awards Ceremony, held May 6 at Butler County Community College.

The team of sixth-graders Nicholas Butler, Luke Hagen, and Victoria Symchak took third place in the Middle School Division of the game’s 2018 Fall Session. With an initial investment of a virtual $100,000, the team earned a $1,206.22 in net equity gain, a 1.21 percent return above the Standards & Poor’s (S&P) 500 Index Growth. The team’s top performing stocks included Tesla and Starbucks.

Club members participate in The Stock Market Game, an online simulation of the global capital markets that engages students in the world of economics, investing and personal finance. As part of the game, students are asked to invest a virtual $100,000 in stocks, bonds and mutual funds; then, to monitor and adjust their investment portfolios, as needed.

The goal of the program is to prepare the students for financially independent futures through real-world practice. For more information, call (724) 625-2601 or visit www.smgww.org.