Three Discovery Middle School students assumed the role of venture capitalists to become grand prize winners in the 2011-2012 Stock Market Game.

Team members Madison Collum, Ford Lutrell and Hunter Smart entered the spring session of the stock market simulation, sponsored by the Alabama Council on Economic Education. They competed with hundreds of teams from across the state.

“Each team was given 100,000 fake dollars to invest,” team advisor and seventh-grade science teacher Christine Jones said. “They had to make at least three transactions.”

Competing teams chose the companies in which to invest. The companies are real businesses. “The simulation goes along with the real stock market,” Jones said. “Whatever happens in the real stock market happens in the simulation.”

As a result, the simulation effectively teaches students about methods for investing in stocks, Jones said.

At the end of the session, the Discovery team had the top portfolio ‘equity’ with $137,420.77 — more money than any team in the state, Jones said. By winning the grand prize, Discovery invested better than all teams playing for the entire school year.

Top Ten teams in the Stock Market Game received drawstring bags with the organization’s logo, along with cash prizes.

“Teacher and team participation awards are randomly selected and are not based on portfolio performance,” Wanda McAbee said. McAbee is program director for the economic council. “These awards are given to encourage and support participation in the Stock Market Game.”

Teachers received curriculum materials, and students received gift certificates to McDonald’s, McAbee said.

The Discovery team will receive their $300 cash award in a ceremony on May 16. For more information, visit alcee.org and select “Stock Market Game.”