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Buzz Garlock, stock contest organizer, RBC Dain Rauscher Senior Analyst and long-time Boys Town volunteer, congratulates Bryan Smith on his savvy investing skills.

Stock Contest Has Wegner Students Investing in the Future

A Wegner School student beat the market with his smart investments during the 12^th annual stock-picking contest.  The contest results were revealed and students were rewarded for their efforts during an assembly April 21.

The contest, which began last October, had students select and track the performance of three stocks listed in the newspaper over a span of six months.  Wegner Middle School teachers also use the contest to teach and reinforce several lessons related to the stock market throughout the contest. 

The grand prize winner, along with the top three winners in each grade, is based on the greatest total percent increase of the chosen stocks.  This year’s grand prize went to eighth grader Bryan Smith who showed a surprising 32 percent increase in his stocks by picking Dell Computers, Best Buy and Lindsay Manufacturing, a Nebraska-based irrigation and highway equipment manufacturer.  Smith’s savvy investing skills and investigation into Lindsay’s stock record paid off as the company’s stock had increased 137 percent by the end of the contest. 

Five members of the faculty also competed in the stock-picking contest.  However, the teachers actually averaged a 20 percent loss, up to 52 percent lower than their best students. With laughter from the crowd, Buzz Garlock, Senior Vice President and Managing Director at the RBC Dain Rauscher investment firm in Omaha asked several of the students, “Would you like to be an analyst in our group?"

The stock-picking contest is sponsored by Garlock, who has been a volunteer with Boys Town for more than 15 years.  Garlock said the students may not have a family history of investing or even saving money, but the discussion about money interests them.

“The contest is very simplistic," said Garlock. "We want them to learn the basics. And it's fun for them."