The Jamaica Stock Exchange (JSE) along with its sponsor, Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)/Multi-Lateral Investments Bank (MIF) hosted the JSE Stock Market Game for High School Awards Ceremony at the Knutsford Court Hotel, in Kingston, on June 12, 2015.
The ceremony culminated with the award of prizes to the winning schools: St. Jago High the 2014/15 winner; Calabar High the First Runner Up and Merl Grove High the Second Runner Up. Winners on the individual level were: Donald Lynder from Calabar High, Second Runner Up and First Runner Up was Domar Blake of St. Jago High and the Top Student was Lando Graham of St. Jago High.
The Stock Market Game for High School Students was developed in 2008, with the objectives of assisting students in the understanding of:
1. How to trade in the stock market
2. How to manage an equity portfolio
3. The costs and benefits involved in economic decision-making.
The game helps to promote public understanding of the stock markets and the economy as well as to create awareness about the role of the stock market in a country’s economic development.
Mrs. Marlene Street Forrest General Manager of the Stock Exchange, stated that “this season which ran from October 2014 to April 2015, and which culminates today in this Awards Ceremony saw an increase in participation over the previous year from 22 schools to 37 and from 44 participants to 74. I am happy to report that the Multilateral Investment Fund (MIF) has recognized our efforts and quite recently, the JSE and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) signed an agreement to improve access to equity funding for the small & medium sized companies. A key component in this project is the enhancement of the knowledge base of investors and potential investors. As a deliverable, we will be in at least 50 more schools by 2016”.
Mrs. Street Forrest also went on to inform the audience that, the JSE market was down by 5.31 % at the end of December 2014 and rebounded to a record of 22.15% improvement in the main index at the end of the competition on April 30, 2015. It is interesting to note that participants still saw good value in the market and when compared to the previous year 2013/14, all portfolio values (schools and individuals) saw an increase in excess of 300% at its lowest point. It is a fundamental lesson of the market, that there are always good buys.
Miss Shelly-Ann Morgan, Global Investments Advisor, Sagicor, encouraged the students to get into the real market and start their investments. She further stated that, persons need to get off the “fence” and into the market as the earlier persons start to buy and sell stocks it is the more wealth they are able to accumulate. This will allow the young people to fully understand the stock market and exploit the benefits later in life.
Mr. Lando Graham the top student of the Stock Market Game from St. Jago High School highlighted the fact that although he started slowly in the game he was able to rise from the bottom to become the winner of the competition. In his own words, he stated, “failure is an opportunity to start from the beginning and rise to the top and success is a matter of hanging on when others have quit”.
Miss Elorine Johnson, Business Teacher of St. Jago High, the winning school congratulated Mrs. Marlene Street Forrest General Manager of the Jamaica Stock Exchange, for her passion to continue the competition although at times the competition had no sponsors. She went on to encouraging other students to get involved in the competition as this was a good way to developed young minds as she was proud of the winner, especially the way he was able to articulate how he went about winning the competition.
