With significantly more free time and the economy changing all around them, high schoolers have demonstrated an increased interest in financial education over the past six months. This fall at CRLS, students have the opportunity to participate in an investment club, gather with peers, and familiarize themselves with the financial world. 

CRLS senior and founder of Investment Club Gabe Herman told the Register Forum, “One of the club’s big goals is to give high schoolers access to information to help them make good investments and learn how to be smarter with their money. It’ll be fun—competitive in some ways, but also educational.” 

One potential obstacle for students hoping to learn to invest is the need for money to experiment with; the ability to afford the ups and downs which may come with the learning process. Herman described his accessible approach for the club, stating, “I’m going to be using a website that allows you to make a portfolio and do market research but all with virtual money, so you’re not putting anything on the line but you get to learn about it.”

Senior Alex Kim began investing on his own using Robin Hood, a popular stock trading app. He would advise those starting out independently to expect a somewhat difficult transition before feeling comfortable navigating the market. Kim shared with the Register Forum, “I know a bunch of people who’ve lost money on Robin Hood but then learned their lesson and started making it again, so don’t get discouraged if you lose some at first.”

Herman also experienced a rocky beginning to his investment career. “I started to invest with a Robin Hood account around the time I started high school because I had just worked my first summer job,” he explained. “I made a lot of mistakes—I’ve been a part of the two biggest single-day stock declines in history. I think one of the great things about the club is that they’ll be able to learn and make those same mistakes but not with real money.”

With a similarly growing desire to learn about the financial realm this year, juniors Matthew Liu and Claire Wang are enthusiastic about an investment club opportunity. Both are enrolled in an economics course outside of scheduled class time through the Harvard Extension School. “The class gives you a great perspective on the market,” Liu tells the Register Forum. “It incorporates real-world examples of supply and demand curves, like the prices of plantains, for example, which make [the material] easy to learn.” Wang agreed, expanding, “I think it’s really important for high schoolers to learn, especially as we start getting jobs. I’m definitely looking forward to learning more about investing on my own.”