Sandburg sophomore ranks 3rd nationally, 1st in State in investment writing competition

Carl Sandburg High School sophomore Grace Wurster achieved national recognition, being named State Winner of the InvestWrite Contest and securing 3rd place nationally. InvestWrite is a national writing competition offered exclusively to teachers and students participating in The Stock Market Game™.

Wurster, a student in Christina Simpson’s AP Macroeconomics class, wrote an essay responding to a prompt that challenged students to connect their stock market game investments to their personal futures.

Wurster said she based her portfolio stock selections on products and companies she knows and reflects how she lives her life. Coca-Cola, Nike, Boeing, an AI company, and Walmart were among the stocks she selected. She also chose a stock with emotional significance, selecting a drug company that treats dementia due to a family member who suffers from the disease.

A representative from the SIFMA Foundation, which administers the awards, noted that Wurster’s essay was “smooth” and that her thoughts on diversification “kept the panel of judges engaged.”

Wurster said, “This was an opportunity to take ownership of investing and a good way to learn how to be smart with my money.”

Wurster’s essay stood out from among more than 1,700 essays submitted nationwide. Essays are evaluated on rationale, understanding of the subject matter, and writing style.

For her 3rd-place national win, she received a laptop computer, and the school received a trophy.

As the state winner, she also received a trophy, a writing journal, InvestWrite swag, and a $100 gift card. In addition, Simpson received a gift card to throw a pizza party for the class, and her parents received a plaque.