WEST COLUMBIA, SC – Eighth-grader Jordan Pelzer knows a thing or two about creating a long-term financial plan – but don’t just take our word for it.
The Busbee Creative Arts Academy student won first place among South Carolina middle schoolers for an essay on his long-term investment/financial plan as part of the InvestWrite Competition, held this past fall and presented by the SIFMA Foundation and South Carolina Council on Economic Education
Jordan was surprised with the news at the school earlier this week, as several teachers, administrators, family members, and a representative with the South Carolina Council on Economic Education cheered.
Dr. Harmonica Hart, a Lexington Two middle level social studies teacher who worked with Jordan last fall to compete in the InvestWrite event, said his essay on investments and strategy “captured the financial knowledge and skills taught in class perfectly.”
“What stood out to me regarding Jordan's essay was his understanding of the stock market and how it works,” said Dr. Harmonica Hart, who holds certification with the South Carolina Financial Literacy Master Teacher Program. “Jordan took time to study the market and he watched how and why it changed over time. He learned how to be patient and wait for the right time to make financial decisions.”
InvestWrite, a national writing competition, is a program of the SIFMA Foundation offered to teachers and students participating in The Stock Market Game. It aims to add a critical thinking component to help reinforce concepts learned in the classroom, according to the InvestWrite website.