Colby 8th grader wins national essay competition

WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) - An eighth-grade student from Colby was recognized as the winner of a national essay competition, earning the honor above thousands of her peers across the U.S. Maddie McCarty’s essay covered investing in the stock market.

“McCarty pored over her research into the financial markets to build an investment portfolio geared for long-term financial success,” a news release from the competition-hosting SIFMA Foundation said. “McCarty’s approach led to a thrilling achievement in the SIFMA Foundation’s Fall 2022 InvestWrite competition.”

The SIFMA Foundation and the Kanas Council of Economic Education honored McCarty and her teacher, Brandi Jones at an assembly Thursday, March 9, in Colby.

SIFMA said its InvestWrite national essay competition “bridges classroom learning in math, social studies, and language arts with the practical research and knowledge required for saving, investing and long-term planning.”

The foundation said it also serves as “a culminating activity for The Stock Market Game, described as “a curriculum-based financial education program that challenges students to manage a hypothetical $100,000 online portfolio of stocks, bonds, mutual funds and cash over a semester or school year.”

“I am thrilled to congratulate Maddie, her teacher and their school,” said Melanie Mortimer, President of the SIFMA Foundation in the organization’s news release. “Through participation in the Stock Market Game and InvestWrite, Maddie has acquired insights and gained confidence to embrace financial opportunities, research and make informed financial life decisions, and achieve better financial life outcomes.”