Invest Ed^® « STARS « Project

«STARS« PROJECT OVERVIEW

The STARS (Students Tracking and Researching the Stock Market) project is unbiased and completely free to everyone involved. In fact, it pays stipends to teachers. The project’s primary objective is education. Refer to the PASS Standards alignment link above.

Weatherford High School [tie]: Bethany Hawkins, sr., Personal Finance teacher Bob Bailey, Bryan Jenkins, jr.

A powerful need exists for students to develop an understanding of how to manage their finances. HB 1476, effective fall 2008, requires districts to provide financial education for students.

The Oklahoma Securities Commission and the University of Oklahoma Outreach ~ College of Continuing Education sponsor the STARS program designed to teach the importance of investing as a long-range tool, not a get-rich-quick tool, and fraud awareness. It is not like other stock market projects you may have experienced.

High School: Principal Terri Helvey, Cole Burchett, soph., Economics teacher Angela Burns

The counties of Oklahoma are divided into six regions: Northeast, Southeast, Northwest, Southwest, Central, and Tulsa. Teachers may implement this project to supplement existing curricula or in student organizations. At workshops, teachers receive detailed guidelines, hands-on internet portfolio training and practice, finance calculator instruction and practice, instructions, forms, and required timeframes. Additionally, teachers receive access to free optional investment education curriculum. Throughout the semester, the project director and her assistant maintain close contact with teachers implementing the project. Teachers who attend spring and summer workshops are eligible to implement the project in the fall. Teachers who attend fall workshops are eligible to implement the project in the spring. Teachers may implement the project again and again, each semester or trimester. Summer Refresher workshops are available.

Newcastle High School: Research Skills teacher Vivian Cisneros and Kelly Toumbs, jr.

Students are required to keep a research log, complete a risk assessment, write an investment goal, track and maintain a tracking log, and document stock transactions occurring after the initial portfolio is created. Finally, students write a report discussing various topics including their research process, criteria used to determine which stocks to purchase, detailed historical information on at least one stock in their portfolio, risk, goal/s, and investment fraud. One report winner from each of the six regions and one statewide winner are selected. Report winners are honored with monetary awards and plaques at a Saturday awards ceremony luncheon at semester’s end. Winning teachers receive an additional stipend.

" While participating in an Algebra I EOI Item Review Committee the previous week, I could clearly see that I must provide for my students, in order for them to successfully achieve the PASS skills for Algebra I, learning at a deeper level. The exam questions (which are based on the PASS skills) require students to use "critical thinking skills"...not merely memorization of an algebraic process...but algebraic problem solving that can only be achieved by developing these "critical thinking skills." "Real-world situations" are also an integral part of the Algebra I PASS skills. I came away from that Committee Meeting knowing that in order to get my students to WANT to learn "critical thinking skills" and apply these skills to "real-world situations" I had to find a way to MOTIVATE them! The Invest Ed® STARS Program is the answer! It accomplishes all three: "critical thinking skills," “real-world situations," and MOTIVATION for my students. This Program is incredible! Thank you so much for providing me with exactly what my students need!"
Susan Gann, Dickson High School