Southwind seniors win regional JA Stock Market Challenge

Four Southwind High School seniors won Junior Achievement of Memphis and the Mid-South’s regional Stock Market Challenge, earning a place at the JA National Future Bound Competition in Boston this summer. Their 21.7% mock portfolio return makes them the first Memphis-area team to advance to the national event.

Why it matters: - Team 901Spunk’s win puts Memphis and the Mid-South on Junior Achievement’s national stage for the first time. - The result highlights how career-connected learning can build real-world financial skills, teamwork and confidence before graduation. - The team’s 21.7% return shows how quickly students can apply market analysis under pressure in a competitive setting.

What happened: - Four seniors from Southwind High School in Memphis won the regional Junior Achievement Stock Market Challenge. - The team, called 901Spunk, earned the right to represent the Mid-South at the JA National Future Bound Competition in Boston this summer. - Team members Mark Moore Jr., Cedric Tate, Marcaleb Henderson and London Fletcher became the first Memphis-area team to qualify for the national event. - Junior Achievement of Memphis and the Mid-South hosted the competition. - Wells Fargo and the Donnell Cobbins, Jr. Futures Trust presented the event, with education sponsorship from New York Life.

The details: - The Stock Market Challenge compresses 60 days of stock trading into a 60-minute simulation. - Students must react to market conditions, analyze financial information and make rapid investment decisions as a team. - Team 901Spunk posted a 21.7% return on its mock investment portfolio. - Angela Higgs Monie, Southwind High School’s personal finance teacher, guided and prepared the students. - Choose901 provided Memphis-themed clothing and swag for the team’s national appearance. - Junior Achievement describes the competition as a way for students to learn from business leaders, connect with peers and explore career opportunities. - More information is available at Junior Achievement of Memphis.

Between the lines: - The win suggests Memphis-area students are gaining access to hands-on financial education that can translate into measurable competitive results. - The national qualification also gives the students exposure that extends beyond investing, including networking and professional development. - The partnership mix behind the event points to broad community support for workforce-readiness programs.

What's next: - Team 901Spunk will compete at the JA National Future Bound Competition in Boston this summer. - The students will represent the Mid-South against top teams from across the country. - Junior Achievement of Memphis and the Mid-South is directing interested supporters to its website and phone line for more information: 901.366.7800.