St. Gilbert School students take 3rd in state in Stock Market Game

Sixth-graders at St. Gilbert Catholic School in Grayslake participated in the Stock Market Game. One team of 4 boys from the school came in 3rd in the state partly due to a trade adding local company SXC Health Solutions (NASDAQ: SXCI) to their portfolio which drew the attention of their Chairman and CEO.

The Stock Market Game™ program is an online education program used in thousands of classrooms nationwide to help teach math, social studies, business, economics and language skills while focusing on the importance of long-term savings and investment. In Illinois, the SMG program has engaged over 550,000 students since it was introduced in 1988. Statewide, over 18,000 students participated during Spring 2012. In Illinois, The Stock Market Game program is provided to grades 4-12 teachers at no cost, made possible by grants to Econ Illinois.

At Saint Gilbert Catholic School in Grayslake, students in 6th grade participate in the SMG in the spring as part of their curriculum. A team of four 6th grade boys – Noah Thigpen, Kyle Perez, Chris Medina and Mark Keegan – took 3rd place in the state.

Adding SXC Health Solutions (NASDAQ: SXCI) to their portfolio caught the attention of the Chairman and CEO of that local company, Mark Thierer, and contributed to their top 3 win.

"Being named one of the top three Illinois schools in this state-wide competition", stated Thierer, "demonstrates exceptional mathematics, economics and financial understanding of complicated stock market dynamics".

He also praised 6th grade teacher, Sister Mary Paul, for having the students participate in the SMG saying it taught them "valuable lessons that will benefit them throughout their lives".

Saint Gilbert School has focused on Excellence in Education since 1944. Located in Grayslake, the school currently serves over 600 students in preschool through 8th grade.