A statewide program for educators could be a valuable investment with no money down.
Economic Literacy Colorado is offering free teacher training courses for its fall Stock Market Experience, set to launch Monday, Sept. 9. The Stock Market Experience is a 10-week, robust, online investment simulation program that teaches third- through 12th-grade students about saving, investing, personal finance and basic economics, according to a news release from the program.
The SME training sessions are available both on-site or as webinars from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Sept. 4, 5, or 17. Teachers need no prior knowledge of the stock market andwill receive an outline of the SME program, a demonstration of the website’s operational features, and an overview of available curriculum resources and lesson plans.
“Providing students with foundational economic knowledge positions them to make wise financial decisions post-graduation,” said Debbie Pierce, president and CEO of Economic Literacy Colorado, in the release. “Our Stock Market Experience is a fun, interactive way to get students excited about managing and investing money.”
The SME is offered free of charge to all Colorado students and teachers due to generous sponsor support. During its 10-week duration, student teams will use intuitive technology to invest a virtual $100,000 in stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and more.
Student teams across the state can compete with others in their same age division. Students and teachers of the first, second, and third place winning teams in each age division will receive up to $100 in cash prizes at the spring awards ceremony.
“We also offer the SME Mentored Investment Challenge, which pairs knowledgeable volunteer investors with student teams to provide an added level of support,” Pierce said. “It is free, fun, and educational for all involved.”
For more information, visit https://econlitco.org/stock-market-experience. Registration for teacher trainings is available at https://econlitco.org/sme-workshops/.