Gaithersburg High School Celebrates Opening of First High School Stock Trading Room in Nation

Students Have $25,000 Fund to Trade

Gaithersburg High School (GHS) today celebrated the opening of its stock trading room for students, made possible by a grant from NASDAQ. The high school trading room is the first of its kind in the nation. Participants in the opening press conference included GHS Principal Darryl Williams, Superintendent Jerry D. Weast, Board of Education Vice President Sharon Cox, City of Gaithersburg Mayor Sidney Katz, NASDAQ Chief Marketing Officer John Jacobs, students, and teachers.
“Students in the investment fund class are acquiring skills that will help them succeed in business and in their personal lives,” said Dr. Weast. “We are very grateful to NASDAQ for providing financial support for this unique learning opportunity for students.”

The GHS Trading Room Project was funded by a $75,000 grant from the NASDAQ Stock Market Education Foundation, Inc. A new trading room constructed at GHS includes a NASDAQ data board, ticker, and LCD TV screen that receive up-to-the-minute stock market data.

Through the student-managed investment fund class, the Academy of Finance (AOF) provides students with rigorous academic training in money management, portfolio selection, and risk management concepts.

A longtime supporter of the school system who wishes to remain anonymous has made $25,000 available to students to trade. Students in the class will be able to make recommendations on how the money is traded, and the school will keep any profits in the account.

In addition to GHS students, all Montgomery County Public Schools students, City of Gaithersburg residents, and the community at large will be offered opportunities to use the trading room through financial literacy courses and various outreach programs. Staff members at GHS are working closely with the University of Maryland, College Park, Robert H. Smith School of Business and the University of Southern New Hampshire to develop and implement modules and financial literacy programs for students and the community.