Home News Richland Northeast Students Place in National Competitions

Richland Northeast Students Place in National Competitions

2/28/2019

Wade Fletcher and Andrea Kimpson may still be in high school, but they know as much about stocks, bonds and mutual funds as their friends do about emojis and apps – and now they are offering that winning advice to a famous entrepreneur!

Fletcher recommended an investment portfolio for Darla Moore, Lake City entrepreneur, that was so compelling it won him second place in the SIFMA Foundation’s Fall 2018 InvestWrite® competition.

Fletcher indicated in his essay that Moore has returned from a career on Wall Street to her hometown of Lake City, writing “Moore spends much of her time nowadays in her sleepy hometown of Lake City, SC. Trading in boardrooms for bean markets, Moore has taken on what could be her biggest entrepreneurial project yet: rebuilding a city.” Fletcher suggested a long-term strategy to invest in local businesses and an interim plan to avoid holding assets in cash, “At a minimum, US 5-Year TIPS would keep pace with inflation (best accessed through an ETF for decreased potential tax liability). Though keeping a large share of assets in stocks would create significant market price risk, holding some assets (<50%) in a diversified large-cap portfolio (devoid of the Technology sector) would allow for returns appropriate for the risk tolerance of the fund. The remainder should be spread amongst a variety of bonds.”

Kimpson recommended an investment portfolio for Madam C.J. Walker, a black entrepreneur, activist and philanthropist, that was so convincing it won her fourth place in the SIFMA Foundation’s Fall 2018 InvestWrite® competition. Kimpson wrote, “Madam C.J. Walker also set herself apart from her competitors by her actions following her entrepreneurial success. She invested her money in her workers and other African Americans in her area. She paid her employees $25 per week, which in turn forced other employers within the industry to raise the wages for minority workers in order to remain competitive with her.” Kimpson suggested a financial strategy that included an Initial Public Offering (IPO), “For producers like Madam CJ Walker, the capital market offers reliable markets with a decreased chance of personal risk during expansion and growth. In her situation, the best course of action would be to focus on selling stocks to increase her financial capital, which would increase her ability to buy resources and supplies to make products.” Kimpson concluded, “This would be beneficial in the long-run as Walker would be able to expand her enterprise into various industries, which increases versatility, and eventually liquidity of assets, and results in direct economic gain.”

InvestWrite is a national essay competition that bridges classroom learning in mathematics, social studies, and language arts with the practical research and knowledge required for long-term personal financial planning, enhancing students’ ability across important academic and life skills. The competition serves as a culminating activity for participants in the SIFMA Foundation’s Stock Market Game™ program.

Winning InvestWrite essays are chosen through rigorous judging by thousands of teachers and industry professionals who evaluate students’ understanding of long-term investing, diversification, the global capital markets, and factors that drive investments as well as their expression of investment ideas in essay form. Winners receive exciting awards and prizes including laptops, classroom pizza parties, trophies, plaques and banners, and certificates.

“The SIFMA Foundation honors and congratulates our InvestWrite winners Wade Fletcher, Andrea Kipson, and their teacher Amanda Stiglbauer,” said Melanie Mortimer, President of the SIFMA Foundation. “By making economics fun, interesting and relevant through The Stock Market Game and InvestWrite, we can give students of all backgrounds a better understanding of their personal financial lives, our economy, and the opportunities inherent in the global capital markets.”

The Stock Market Game and InvestWrite are offered in South Carolina through SC Economics, a nonprofit dedicated to providing South Carolina K-12 students with the economic knowledge and financial skills needed to thrive in the dynamic economy. “We honor and congratulate Wade, Andrea, and Amanda,” said Jim Morris, President of SC Economics, “By making economics fun, interesting and relevant through The Stock Market Game and InvestWrite, we can help fulfill our mission for South Carolina students to leave high school with a sound foundation in economic principles, an understanding of our economy and how it works, and a strong appreciation for the American free enterprise system.”

In addition, Annelisa Walter was also recognized as the nation first place winner for the national Council for Economic Education’s “Economic Advice to the President” competition. Annelisa advised, “In order to rein in what many economists label an overheating economy, I would recommend to the President enacting contractionary demand-side fiscal policy by raising taxes. An increase in taxes would reduce disposable income for consumers, thus decreasing consumption and shifting the demand curve leftward, closing the expansionary gap.”

The National Council for Economic Education focuses on the economic and financial education of students from kindergarten through high school by educating the educators. Their goal is to reach and teach every child in the United States to create a more informed citizenry capable of making better decisions as savers, investors, borrowers, voters, and participants in the global economy.

Wade Fletcher, Andrea Kimpson, Annelisa Walter, and their teacher, Amanda Stiglbauer, were honored at an event on Friday, February 22, 2019 at Richland Northeast High School featuring the South Carolina State Treasure, Curtis Loftis, as the speaker. Representatives of SC Economics were present to recognize the student, teacher, parents and the school.

About SC Economics
SC Economics, a nonprofit organization, provides South Carolina K-12 students with the economic knowledge and financial skills needed to thrive in the dynamic economy. By providing quality training and up-to-date resources, SC Economics partners with teachers and school districts to help students develop decision-making skills needed to be informed consumers, productive employees or innovative entrepreneurs, thoughtful investors, and reasoned voters. For more information, visit www.sceconomics.org.