Students at Brockton High School Achieve Stock-Picking Success, Following in Roaring Kitty’s Footsteps

Brockton High School, the largest high school in Massachusetts with over 3,500 students, has garnered attention in recent years due to issues like chronic understaffing and incidents of student violence. However, a significant shift is occurring within its halls, as a group of students has turned their focus from violence to celebrating financial prosperity by learning the intricacies of stock trading. Mirroring the success of a notable alumnus, Keith Gill, better known as Roaring Kitty, these students are carving out their own identities as skilled stock pickers.

Back in 2004, Gill was just another senior at Brockton High School. Fast-forward to 2021, and he became a household name during the meme-stock surge that inflamed retail trading, particularly for companies like AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc. (AMC) and GameStop Corp. (GME). His online persona resonated with many individual investors, earned him a spot before Congress, and ultimately inspired a Hollywood film titled “Dumb Money.” Now, a new generation of Brockton High students is learning from Gill’s legacy and achieving impressive stock-picking accolades.

Inspiring a New Generation of Investors

Last year, a cohort of students from Brockton High clinched the top five spots in a nationwide stock-investing competition, proving their mettle in the world of financial markets. The competition, managed by the nonprofit organization Base Chicago, aims to equip students from disadvantaged backgrounds with financial literacy. A total of 160 students from around the country participated, with 22 competitors hailing from Brockton High through the Empower Yourself program, which emphasizes financial education and STEM learning.

Kevin McCaskill, the principal of Brockton High, recognized the achievement saying, “This is truly a big deal. When students are exposed to programming like this, they can achieve anything.” The school has faced its share of challenges, including violence and socioeconomic difficulties, but the community has united to foster systemic changes that redefine its identity.

The Mechanics of the Competition

In the competition, each student was given a mock portfolio of $1 million to invest over nine months. Competitors were required to create a diverse portfolio consisting of a minimum of 12 stocks, spread across different S&P 500 sectors and with a cap on investment limits for individual stocks. This rigorous framework not only pushed students toward effective investment strategies but also honed their decision-making skills.

One standout participant, Henry Ani, a sophomore at Brockton, leveraged the growing trend of artificial intelligence, investing heavily in technology stocks like Nvidia (NVDA), which he held due to its significant growth potential. “AI chips were becoming increasingly more important,” Ani explained, noting that he also diversified his holdings by including stocks from the consumer discretionary and healthcare sectors such as Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. (CMG) and Novo Nordisk (DK:NOVO.B).

Lessons Learned and Future Aspirations

Ani’s competition performance earned him the top spot, with a final return of approximately $1.46 million. “I learned a lot about both investment strategy and patience during the competition,” he said. The experience taught him that investing is not just about quick gains, but about informed decision-making. “Finding a sector that can beat the market is key, but sometimes that’s not feasible,” he added. This season, Ani continues to test his strategies with a focus on index funds while maintaining his belief in the ongoing AI trend.

Community Support and Educational Opportunities

The students also benefited from guidance provided by industry experts like Kim Redding, the former CEO of Brookfield Investment Management. Redding, who volunteered with the Brockton students, shares valuable financial concepts and insights, demonstrating a commitment to fostering a new wave of financially literate youth. The program has successfully expanded to include middle-school students, increasing participation and interest in financial literacy in the Brockton community.

As principal McCaskill notes, “We can’t teach them everything to become professional investors, but we can give them the seed, that spark that lights them up.” With proactive involvement and dedicated mentorship many students are beginning to see the stock market not just as a gamble, but as a viable pathway to their futures.

The success of Brockton High students in the stock-picking competition signifies a paradigm shift in how students engage with financial literacy and underscores the power of community and education in overcoming adversity. As these students chart their own paths in investing, they embody hope and resilience—a testament to the transformative power of financial education.