High school students will be learning the fundamentals of finance and investment this fall through stock market simulations offered by Cal State Fullerton.

The Center for Economic Education, under the direction of Chiara Gratton-Lavoie, offers the program to schools throughout the Southland.

The 10-week program, offered by the center since 1993, calls for students to work in teams, researching, investing and managing a $100,000 portfolio. “We believe that students in California need to be trained in economic thinking to make intelligent choices. Knowing how to make sound financial choices and understanding how the economy works is more important today than ever.”

The program is a hands-on learning experience designed to promote interest in economics, as well as current events. The top three teams with the largest portfolio values (based on real-time, real-market prices) receive achievement certificates, T-shirts and monetary awards at the end of the simulation.

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