Spring 2010 NJCEE Essay Contest
Guidelines
and Prize Information
The Spring
2010 NJCEE Essay Contest is only open to students who are actively
participating in the Spring 2010 New Jersey Stock Market Challenge.
The New Jersey Council
on Economic Education is sponsoring the NJCEE Essay Contest. The essay contest
will be judged at the state level and winners will be eligible for state
awards. Students are encouraged, individually, to write a
comprehensive essay that describes how the student or team developed it’s portfolio, the educational benefits gained from the
Stock Market Challenge experience and how they would use these investment
strategies if investing their own money in the stock market. There is no fee to
enter this contest. Entries must be
received before the registration deadline.
The NJCEE Essay
Contest will enable the participants to:
1
Demonstrate
knowledge and understanding of basic economic concepts and how they relate to
the stock markets.
2
Analyze stocks
using various stock selection strategies.
3
Demonstrate
proficiency in the use of decision-making and reasoning skills in stock
selection.
4
Demonstrate an
ability to distinguish between speculation and sound investment.
5
Develop a
personal investment plan based on personal goals.
6
Demonstrate an
ability to relate and assess the influence of current events on stock prices
and trading decisions.
Entries must follow
the following criteria to qualify:
1 Describe your team’s investment strategy and
economic reasons for each decision
made. You may
include one or more of the suggestions listed below:
A)
Company(s)
facts
·
Products or
services provided
·
Financial data,
such as profit record, high/low price record, etc.
·
Explanation of
current events that relate to the company and price changes in its stock, i.e.,
technological advances, increased productivity, favorable government
regulations and etc.
·
Major
Competitors
·
A challenge
this company has faced in the last two years and what the company did to deal
with the situation (recession, environmental issues and etc.)
B)
Current
economic environment, i.e., interest rates (monetary policy), taxation
(fiscal
policy) and other economic indicators.
C)
General stock
market outlook.
D)
Growth
prospects and competitive outlook for the industry.
2 Identify and explain any learning
experiences, i.e., economic concepts, mathematical
applications, decision-making skills and etc. gained by your
participation in the
NJ
Stock Market Challenge.
3 Explain what kind of investment
strategy you would adopt if you were investing
your own money. List your personal goals for such a plan,
the time frame for
your investment and how you would hope to accomplish this
plan.
4
Include a
bibliography of the sources used to complete this essay. All periodicals must include name and date of
publication.
5 Quotes may be
used with proper credit given to the source(s). Essays that
have been plagiarized will be disqualified!
1
Students who
submit entries must be currently participating in the Spring
2010 NJ Stock Market Challenge.
2
Entries must
range between 1500-2500 words (excluding
attachments and title pages). Additional exhibits and attachments may be
included that support the essay provided that they be included in a folder or
book report binder.
3
An
individual student only must submit entry. Essays that are plagiarized will be
disqualified!
4
Entries may be
included in a folder or pocket portfolio, using 8 ½ x 11 white papers. Please
do not submit in binders.
5
Entries must be
typed in 12 pt letter size, double
spaced.
6
Scoring will be
as follows: content 80%, spelling, grammar and writing ability 20%.
7
Portfolio
equity achieved by the team during the game will not be considered in the
judging. The major criterion will be what was learned from the experience.
8
In addition to
the entry form, each entry submitted must be identified on the title page of
the project with the name of the student, team number, semester the student
played, the school name, teacher or advisor, school address, telephone number,
grade and course.
9
Teachers/
Advisors may submit up to as many student entries as they like.
10
The judges’
decision on winners is final. The NJCEE reserves the right to be the final
judge on all aspects of the essay contest.
Please note that NJCEE must receive a minimum of at least 10 essays per
division for judging to continue for that particular division, and for
contestants to be eligible for prizes.
**********************************************
NJCEE Essay Contest Prizes and
Deadline Information:
The top essay winner in
the divisions of grades 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12 will be recognized.
Student prizes are as follows:
Grades 3-5 $200,
certificate, and t-shirt
Grades 6-8 $200,
certificate, and t-shirt
Grades 9-12 $500,
certificate, and t-shirt
The teacher award is $100 cash.
Deadline: Friday, April 23, 2010. NO EXCEPTIONS. Essays must be in our hands by this date. Please get them in early!
Contest winners and their teachers will be honored during a
NJ Stock Market Challenge Awards Ceremony luncheon. The Council must receive
a total of at least 10 essays per division for judging to continue for that
particular division.
Teachers may submit up to as many of their student’s
entries as they like. Student entries
must be mailed to:
Melinda Luciano
NJCEE
Union, New Jersey 07083