Mercy High Student Wins $5,000 Scholarship

The first annual “Stock to Scholarship Challenge” has concluded and here are the winners:

• First place winner:  Senior Margaux Kabodian at in Farmington Hills has won $5,000 for her college education. Margeaux nearly doubled her original stake by earning an impressive $199, 065.50. Margaux resides in Novi and is planning on attending Albion College this fall.
• Second place winner: Christopher Kolzer is a sophomore at Plymouth High School. Chris resides in Plymouth. He will receive $2,000 for college.
• Third place winner: Kyle Bone is a Plymouth High School sophomore. Kyle earned $1,000 for college. He resides in Canton.

The goal of the competition is to raise financial literacy and awareness among high school students. The contest began on February 13 and ended on April 30. Each contestant was given access to an online personal stock market account seeded with $100,000 in “play money.” Over the course of the competition, contestants studied and traded stocks within their portfolios. Those who accrued more “money” in their accounts than other participants were deemed winners of the competition.

The contest drew 650 students from a total of 72 high schools throughout Macomb, Oakland and Wayne Counties, all vying for college scholarship money.

“It’s never too early to learn about the global marketplace. I have spent my career teaching retirees and investors how to grow their savings. Helping high school students learn about managing their money will provide them benefits that can last a lifetime,” said contest sponsor Kevin VanDyke, Founder and President Bloomfield Hills Financial.

--Bloomfield Hills Financial press release