High school students will be learning the fundamentals of finance and investment
in a special $1 million economic challenge — a seven-month stock market simulation offered through Cal State Fullerton beginning Monday, Oct. 1.

Cal State Fullerton’s Center for Economic Education, under the direction of Chiara Gratton-Lavoie, offers stock-market simulations to schools throughout the Southland. The national contest is underwritten by Stock-Trak Inc. of Georgia.

The Center for Economic Education is extending the $1 million challenge to schools that currently take part in a 10-week program offered each semester by the center since 1995. The 10-week stock market simulation, open to both middle and high school classes and organizations, begins Oct. 8. Both programs call for students to work in teams, researching, investing and managing a portfolio: $100,000 for the shorter program, $1 million for the national contest, which continues through April.

“As participants develop their portfolio strategies, they gain knowledge of how financial markets work. They learn a great deal about the stock market and the economy,” said Gratton-Lavoie.

The Center for Economic Education is part of Cal State Fullerton’s College of Business and Economics. Its purpose is to provide technical economic education services to improve the level of economic understanding in grades K-12, institutions of higher learning and the surrounding community. In addition to the stock market simulation, the center offers consultation services, teacher workshops and educational materials.