South Dakota Stock Market Game Program spring trading session begins Feb. 13

Teachers may now register for the Spring session of the South Dakota Stock Market Game Program (SDSMG) operated by the Black Hills State University Center for Economic Education.

The spring session begins Monday, Feb. 13 and ends its 10- week trading period Friday, April 22.  The SDSMG is a real-time online stock market simulation where teams of students research and purchase a portfolio of stocks and compete for cash prizes in the middle school, high school and college divisions.  Teachers receive weekly newsletters and online training to integrate the program into a variety of grade levels and subjects.  The SDSMG program is the only online stock simulation program endorsed by the South Dakota Council on Economic Education.

To register, go to www.stockmarketgame.org and click on Register and select the Feb 13-Apr 22 trading session.

A series of free one-hour web-based teacher-training workshops will be conducted for registered teachers prior to start of the game at different dates and times to accommodate teacher class schedules.  The webinars are divided into seven topics as follows:

1. Just the Basics: How to Get Started with SMG

2.  Quick Start to Trading-Best Way to Get Your Students Trading

3.  Beyond the Basics, Enhancing the SMG for Veteran Teachers

4.  Winning with Diversification:  Review of Buying Mutual Funds, Bonds, and ETFs in the SMG Portfolio

5.  InvestWrite: Learn more about our national and state wide essay competition  

6.  Invest It Forward:  How a Financial Advisor Can Enhance Your SMG Experience

7.  Capitol Hill Challenge Rules

A $10 team registration fee includes access to online team-trading screens to research companies and a Teacher Support Center with online lesson plans by grade level and subject and classroom activities to integrate the program into a variety of subjects.

Students who participate receive free entry into InvestWrite, a highly successful culminating writing activity where students submit online essays judged by investment professionals.  Essay questions focus students on the importance of long term saving and investing and sharpen their critical thinking skills.  Winning essays receive state and national awards including a chance to win a paid trip to the New York Stock Exchange.  Learn more at www.investwrite.org

The Black Hills State University Center for Economic Education has an exclusive license to operate the program in South Dakota with the Securities Industry Financial Markets Association (SIFMA).  This SMG program is consistently identified as the leader in youth financial education and the only program proven in rigorous, independent studies year-after-year to raise math test scores, economics test scores and personal finance test scores and to change financial behavior for the better for students and teachers.  Nationwide, over 600,000 students from all 50 states participate each year.  Last year In South Dakota, 1,052 students participated and formed 475 teams from 45 schools participated.

The South Dakota Stock Market Game is sponsored by the Black Hills State University Center for Economic Education, the Securities Industry Financial Markets Association (SIFMA) and the South Dakota Council on Economic Education. For more information on the program or the webinars, contact Professor Don Altmyer, SDSMG Coordinator at donaltmyer@bhsu.edu or 605-642-6266.