Students Place First and Second in Regional Financial Competitions
Junior Doolin Stober earned first place in the southwest Pennsylvania region in the Brighter Financial Futures Investing Challenge. Sophomore William Woessner placed second in the Spring Budget Challenge.
Under the guidance of his teacher, Mrs. Courtney Kronk-Love, Doolin built a simulated investment portfolio in this fast-paced, real-time stock market simulation. Doolin's portfolio was valued at $123,167.46, outperforming peers across the region. The challenge provides students with hands-on experience in navigating the financial markets, teaching critical thinking, patience and financial strategy.
“The students have a chance to make some investing decisions without using their own real money," said Mrs. Kronk-Love. "It is a good simulation that is based on real-time selling prices. The current changes in the stock market are reflected in their portfolios too. It made for some very exciting highs and lows for the students this semester.”
“It is best to hold long even if the short gains look nicer,” Doolin said when reflecting on what he learned from the competition. Doolin is a student in Mrs. Kronk-Love's Honors Finance and Investment class.
Will, a student in Mrs. Kronk-Love's Personal Finance Class, participated in the Spring Budget Challenge. Mrs. Kronk-Love noted, "My students get the opportunity to make decisions that they don't currently have to make about time management, paying their bills on time and building their credit score. The students have fun with this simulation and also get to experience some of the stresses of unexpected expenses that pop-up in real life too."
"Playing the budget game enhanced my knowledge on how to maintain a good credit score," Will said.
This is the sixth-consecutive semester that one of Mrs. Kronk-Love's personal finance students has placed in the southwest Pennsylvania region. The program helps students learn through action, offering practical, high-impact financial education that encourages responsible risk-taking and long-term planning and helps prepare students for financial self-sufficiency and future success.
"I’m so thankful for the Brighter Financial Futures organization and the generous sponsor First Commonwealth Bank," said Mrs. Kronk-Love. "They provide these free opportunities for our finance students that are so worthwhile with hands-on simulations in budgeting and investing. The added competition piece and real monetary prizes bring out the competitive spirit and make the experiences even more fun for the students!"