The board recognized Avery Phillips of West-Oak Middle School and Coby Wood of Walhalla for placing first in the InvestWrite Challenge in the middle school and high school divsions respectively. Cody also placed sixth nationally in the high school division.
The board also recognized West-Oak Middle School teacher Debra Wallace who received the prestigious Dr. Gary Stone Multiplier of the Year Award for excellence in financial literacy education, leadership, and and mentorship.
The Stock Market Game™ is a nationally recognized financial literacy program that gives students hands-on experience in investing, budgeting, and economic decision-making through a simulated stock market environment. InvestWrite is a national essay competition for 4th–12th grade students that serves as a critical-thinking companion to the Stock Market Game™. It challenges students to analyze real-world financial issues, connecting classroom learning to investing strategies.