Burlington High School Business Students Win in the Stock Market Game

Four Burlington High School business students and DECA members received top placement recognition in the Stock Market Game, an online competition hosted by DECA Inc. and administered by the SIFMA Foundation.

The DECA members were challenged with developing and managing a virtual investment portfolio of stocks, bonds and mutual funds, with the aim of increasing the value of their portfolio, while maintaining its diversity. Rankings were based on the percentage growth above or below the value of the S&P 500.

The Stock Market Game has two competition categories. Alex Murray, won second place in the High School Division for Massachusetts. Andrew Perl, Rohan Dutta and Scott Bottiglio all placed in the top 25 within the DECA Stock Market Game’s North Atlantic Region with their individual portfolios. Perl, Dutta and Bottiglio are qualified to present their portfolio during the 2023 DECA International Career Development Conference (ICDC) this April in Orlando, Florida. In the ICDC competitive event, teams will defend their investment decisions with a written document describing their project and a 15-minute oral presentation.

“We are so proud of our students’ achievement,” said Krista Anderson, Burlington High School Business Teacher and DECA Chapter Advisor. “These students have shown an interest in investing and finance and I am grateful to DECA and The Stock Market Game for providing this opportunity for students to apply the information we discuss in class.”

How did the students find success?

“I looked for overvalued or hyped up companies,” Perl said.

Other students applied learned strategies.

“[I was] buying at the bottom and shorting at the top,” Dutta said.

Students enjoyed this opportunity to showcase their learning.

“I had a lot of fun learning about the workings of the stock market," Murray, a junior at BHS, said. "I realized it’s really easy to tell when a company has really bad financials, and shorting is an easy way to make a large profit. I can’t wait to participate next year and refine my strategy.”

Bottiglio, a senior, is glad all Burlington High School business students have the ability to learn about investing.

“I think everybody should get practice managing a mimic portfolio when they are young," he said. "It helps develop financial skills you will use for the rest of your life.”

About DECA Inc.
DECA is a career and technical student organization that prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs who are interested in careers in marketing, finance, hospitality, and management.

DECA enhances the preparation for college and careers by providing co-curricular programs that integrate into classroom instruction, apply learning, connect to business and promote competition.