Testimonials
Read more about previous experiences with NCCEE events, workshops, and competitions. Click a category below to narrow down the stories.
Professional Development Back to Top
Thank you @NCCEE_org for a great week of personal finance and econ PD! These arrived from y’all and I am so grateful! This was the best PD I have attended to this point in my career and would love to go to more PD through you!
— Andrew P.
I really enjoyed the Workshop yesterday! You were AWESOME!!! Thanks for providing so much info I can use in my classes next year. This will be my first time teaching that course and I feel much more comfortable after attending the workshop. I will definitely share my experiences and what I learned with my colleagues.
— Andrea C.
What an amazing workshop! I wasn’t sure if it would be too advanced for my 7th grade students but I feel I could adapt most of the content for my younger students. I especially appreciate the modules on opportunity cost and compound interest. I’m certain that candy and giant $100 bills will captivate even my youngest/most concrete thinkers. This was the perfect blend of theory, practice, and motivation… Just what I needed to help me through that mourning period when one realizes spring break is almost over. I’m feeling excited about getting back into my classroom with new ideas. Thank you so much!
— Michelle S.
I cannot say enough good things about this workshop. Amber Thomas was an amazing presenter that really connected with our teachers. The workshop was mostly hands-on and our teachers walked away with numerous resources that they can use with their students.
— Travis M.
Dear Sandy,
This PD was the first professional experience I have had in years that provided me an unbelievable variety of engaging, standards based, technology rich, differentiated activities, resources, simulations, and games which are easily implementable, immediately in my classroom.
Once again, this PD was one of the best I have attended. Thank you! P.S. I am the one who almost stole your thunder with the compound interest calculator ☺. Such a great tool!!
— David N.
Hello Mrs. Wheat. I just wanted to take the time to let you know how much I appreciate the “It’s All About Money” workshops you have put together. I have been to several and they have all been beneficial to me. I learn something new each and every time. Even as the workshop is done professionally, it is a relaxed learning environment where we are having fun. I have also gathered an incredible amount of free resources to bring back to the classroom. The speakers and staff are wonderful as they go over and above to be helpful. Every aspect of the event is perfectly laid out right down to the delicious food that is served. Again, thank you so much for all you do and I look forward to seeing you again in the near future.
— Albert E.
Students in Academic Competitions Back to Top
I learned how to do better math skills like Algebra and make better saving skills.
— Celina O.
I learned how to manage my money well.
— Annie Q.
Highly volatile stocks can be big risks with large profits, but can also come with huge losses.
— Chance Z.
I learned that your stocks can change super quickly.
— Madi K.
The stock market game taught me the importance of saving money and the need of doing your homework before investing.
— Arun K.
The stock market game helped me a lot with math and how to manage money.
— Nathan R.
One of the things we took into account was big products that we liked. We all liked Star Wars and we knew that a big Star Wars movie was coming out. So we found out that Disney was making it and invested in Disney. It turned out very well.
— Ben H.
From the stock market game I was able to better comprehend algebraic concepts with there being many functions and relations and graphing. An example is the relation from how much quantity of a stock you guy and how much money you are making compared to the number of stocks.
— Connor M.
The stock market game enabled me to have a better understanding of our country’s economic system and learn about managing money. I am thankful to have this opportunity because economics are an important topic to learn and it will prepare me for the business world.
— Griffin R.
During my time with my group playing the stock market game, I realized how much of a risk there can be buying and selling your stocks.
— Beckett P.
I hope your year has been going well. This is James Lee, and I am a freshman at Wake Forest University. While I was in high school, I loved competing in the Economics Challenge, Personal Finance Challenge, and InvestWrite competition, and last year, I remember Ms. Wheat telling me to e-mail around this time to see if it would be possible for me to volunteer for one of these competitions. Could you tell me if this would be possible as I would be more than happy to give back to the NCCEE and its endeavors.
— James L.
Teachers on Academic Competitions Back to Top
“I wanted to send out a BIG THANK YOU for everything you have done to promote personal finance over the years! You have always been very supportive and more than generous with your time and money to myself and my students. I am retiring effective June 1 and I wanted to let you know that I feel you do an outstanding job promoting and supporting all our teachers and students! I hope that one of my colleagues will continue to take part in all of the programs. I will miss the challenge and excitement of the competitions. Thanks and Best Wishes!”-George Visnic, West Wilkes High School
— George V.
The Personal Finance Challenge sponsored by NCCEE provided a wonderful learning opportunity for students to better understand the importance of budgeting, money management, and setting financial goals.
— Regina W.
The NCCEE Economics Challenge was a fantastic opportunity for my students to compete in an exciting format!
— Kelley G.
The Economics Challenge is one of the top programs in the country for teaching economic concepts to young people.
— Dawn P.
The Stock Market Game has allowed me to teach the entire curriculum with an emphasis on real world situations. It has been overwhelming to see the way students have taken ownership of their portfolios by studying the market trends, things that shape the trends, the critical thinking that develops their strategic buying and selling, and the application of the skills they’ve learned in class.
— Neal A.
It is exciting to see students apply math and economic concepts in a manner that has the potential to change their lives forever. The positive approach, the individual and team efforts, and the fundamentals about saving and investing gives all students a chance to change their family tree for generations to come.
— Rick W.
loved seeing my students so engaged in their own learning. I don’t know of another program that incorporates real world math, research, economic skills, and global awareness. This is definitely 21st century learning! At its best!
— Emily T.
I covered economic topics that were not previously or otherwise addressed in the art classroom, other than discussions of the effects of WWII era and finances and how that played out in art. It was fun watch students move from discussions, to word charts, to a visual concept to illustrate the knowledge gained through exploring economic concepts. We enjoy this experience, and much was linked to other disciplines in our building. Thank you for the opportunity.
— Juandalynn J.
Every year I have a parent to tell me what an impact this program has made on their child and how they wished they had a chance to participate in something similar when they were younger.
— Paulita M.
The Stock Market Game is an excellent way to bring 21st Century learning into the classroom. Students must use technology, problem solving and critical thinking skills to address real world situations within the game. Collaboration and leadership skills also play a vital role in this program.
— Heather M.
This an activity that really got my students excited. We usually played the Game on Fridays, and the students could hardly wait for the day come. They really enjoyed the research and news events that gave them insights about the companies in which they had an interest. This is the second time I’ve used the Game, and I’ve learned ways to optimize its effectiveness in other classes.
— Wilbur B.
The stock market game is an amazing opportunity to create excitement, real world context and experiential learning in mathematics, social studies and economics. The game itself is a blessing but the resources, lesson plans, curriculum materials and extension opportunities cannot be quantified. The value of engaging with this program is profound. Parents, students, colleagues and future teachers love this work and the effect that it has on our learners. Thank you!
— Tracy M.
I have enjoyed playing the stock market game the last several years. Playing the game has been a learning experience for my students but also myself. I like how the game teaches responsible and appropriate investment strategies without having to worry about losing actual real money.
— Brad B.
The Stock Market Game was a terrific experience! Our students learned about the complexity and interdependence of systems – financial, political, societal, governmental. They became much more attuned to what was happening in the world and its impact on the stock market.
— Melanie M.
The Stock Market Game allows students to use skills from across the subject areas in a real-world scenario, all while gaining valuable experience in a protected environment. Where else would students come to view $100,000 as a “ton of money” one minute, and not nearly enough the next? The program truly has something for everyone and differentiates for each student team by allowing them to delve in as deeply as they are able and willing. The sky is the limit!
— Jill H.
Thank you to the organizers of the stock market game. It is rich and challenging, real world learning for my students. I appreciate seeing the students naturally engage in mathematics, economics and 21st century learning with curiosity and motivation. I have found for several years that this experience can fit with any program and can be very deep and laborious or very light and fun or both. It is a joy to include this in my programming each year and I hope to continue for years to come.
— Tracy M.
Students played the SMG on Fridays and really looked forward to it. They learned a lot about the world of finance and how it is influenced by world events.
— Wilbur B.
It has been a fantastic honor to witness these students’ enthusiasm for learning to build a profitable portfolio. Throughout my time with the 5th graders at WG Pearson Elementary I saw them absorbing the knowledge, taking time to ask questions and actively researching the companies they considered. When it was time to buy, they bought with zeal. When it was time to sell, they sold with confidence, effectively applying the strategies they learned. I’m so grateful to have had this experience.
— Kimberly K.
The students get so excited about learning the stock market and competing with other students from around the state. The economics, social studies, math and language arts that are utilized in every lesson cannot compare to a regular class setting. Students learn how to compromise and communicate with each other and the teacher. And above all, we need our students to learn how to be financially stable and be able to afford college. What a great program!
— Donna C.
This has been a wonderful experience! The lesson plans are incredible, I couldn’t ask for a more comprehensive program!
— Angela F.
The Stock Market Game and the InvestWrite competitions have been a wonderful supplement to our business curriculum. The students have looked forward to each year!
— Dan F.
The stock market competition as well as the Investwrite essay competition have given my students valuable insight as to how the stock market works and why investing in their future is so important. It has provided real life experience and many of my students after this lesson have begun investing money in the stock market.
— April F.
I love to watch students working collaboratively together in the SMG and to hear them talk about conversations they have had with their parents/guardians, friends, and relatives to find out about new companies in which they could invest. This game is such an important tool for future life skills, and I appreciate the opportunity to use it with my students.
— Julie H.
Stock Market Game was a great experience for my students. My students and I have gained so much knowledge about what stocks are and how they work since starting the game.
— Terri J.
The Stock Market Game is a great answer to that question students always ask — “When are we ever going to use this??” It allows them to apply the math concepts they are learning in class to real-world situations.
— Dara J.
This was my first year teaching the program. I was amazed at how well organized the teaching materials were prepared. The children quickly grasp many of the concepts and I found it so exciting to see the world of investing through their eyes. The opportunity to teach children at such a young age is critical to preparing them with the skills to manage their future success.
— Tina T.
Competing in the Stock Market Challenge has been an exhilarating experience. The knowledge gleaned through this endeavor will resonate with students and sustain them in the future. It is my wish to utilize this program in our learning community for many years. Excelsior!
— Nikki C.
Teaching SMG and its associated lessons was a great complement to the Foundations in Personal Finance course that I have been teaching throughout the year. Teaching students the importance of saving money and showing them how a proper investment in the stock market can allow the students to become millionaires regardless of whatever job they end up taking. Having students take risks in the stock market game without real money on the line also the types of stocks to avoid in real life
— Paul C.
My Personal Finance students have been participating in the North Carolina Stock Market Game for several years and it remains one of the best “Real World” experiences that is available to them in the classroom.
— Anita B.
The Stock Market Game has transformed our students. They are much more aware of not only the financial world, but also how the financial world intersects with current news, trends and politics. They were so engaged throughout the stock market game and learned skills far beyond the intended math curriculum. It’s a great way to synthesize a lot of concepts! We are extremely grateful for the opportunity it has afforded our students to broaden their horizons.
— Linda R.
My students enjoyed the lessons and experiences provided by the Stock Market Game. This group was extremely competitive. They seriously researched companies and mutual funds before making recommendations to team members.
— Terri R.
I have been teaching using the stock market game for many years and I have never used a more effective tool to contextualize financial literacy. My students love it and I can weave in so many important life lessons through this wonderful simulation. The NC team at NCCEE offers powerful support to teachers and I truly appreciate their resources and dedication to quality education for all.
— S. Tracy M.
The Stock Market Game was the perfect scenario for blended learning in my classes. My students were fully engaged from the beginning to end. The Stock Market Game provided a cross curriculum opportunity that encouraged communication and curiosity. My Marketing and Finance students were not only interested in their own results, but also wanted to know what their peers and other classes were doing as well. This experience was the highlight of our semester!
— Stephanie M
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