10TH ANNUAL JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT STOCK MARKET CHALLENGE IS A BULL MARKET FOR MIAMI STUDENTS

Miami, FL – Junior Achievement of Greater Miami will kick off their signature stock-trading competition for Miami high school students on October 23rd, at Akerman LLP in Brickell City.

More than 2,700 students in 100+ classes at 35 M-DCPS schools have spent September and October doing in-class lessons and preparation, learning how to trade stocks and how the market works.

Now, the top 50 teams, coming from 21 schools, will compete live for a trophy, bragging rights, and the opportunity to represent Miami at the national level with Junior Achievement USA.

The live event, open to media with RSVP, will include expected visits from Miami-Dade County Public Schools Superintendent of Schools Dr. Jose L. Dotres; Sandra Saint-Hilaire, Executive Director, Government Affairs, Miami Dade County; and Karyn Cunningham, Mayor of Palmetto Bay.

Lourdes de la Mata Little, President and CEO of JA Miami, will greet the students. The opening bell will be rung by Superintendent Dotres.

During the event, students will model two months of stock trading, asking themselves the age-old question that professionals answer every day: how would you invest $1,000,000?

The event will also include a high-energy, action-packed version of the competition for financial professionals and brand sponsors, to be held that evening.

This is a crucial time for this event, with Miami students falling behind the rest of Florida and the nation in earning college degrees. Crushing debt, mental health struggles, and economic disparities are holding them back, putting the city’s reputation for innovation and business talent at risk. But this is where JA Miami comes in–providing a transformative program that prepares public school students to thrive in today’s economy.

“This program brings together the best of Miami with the best of Junior Achievement,” said de la Mata Little. “I hear all the time from teenagers that they do not understand investing, and that they worry about missing opportunities in this area, for higher education and jobs. This fantastic, immersive program is a way that we can change that, and that we can help break the cycle of poverty in our city. Change their path, change their life.”

To attend, or for wrap-up details and photos, please email annmarie@pisanoslater.com.

About Junior Achievement of Greater Miami

At JA Miami, we believe that every child can be inspired and empowered to succeed financially. Our graduates are confident, practical, knowledgeable, and most importantly, prepared.

How? We know that we can change their path, change their life, by teaching kids about money: how to earn it, save it, spend it, and share it. We provide hands-on, in-school learning experiences in underserved Miami public schools, taught by community volunteers, in everything from budgeting and loans to career readiness and entrepreneurship. Free to students, delivered by us, and funded by partners and donors. We have been awarded Five Star Status by JA USA for exceptional performance, as well as the Miami Chamber of Commerce’s 2024 NOVO Award, and our global office has been nominated for the last three Nobel Peace Prizes.