By Erum Rizvi
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At an age when many boys are interested mainly in sports, junior Garrett Bacon takes interest in the stock market. He said he has always found the market fascinating, but he never had the motivation to watch it and make money from the market. Now that Bacon is a junior and managing his own finances to prepare for the future, he looks at stocks as a way to supplement his income and increase future options so as to not be bound by money.

“I believe it’s important for teens and kids of every age to be interested in the stock market. Used right, it’s basically making your money work for you, and thus making more money,” Bacon said.

Bacon is part of a growing trend among teenagers who are taking an interest in the stock market. According to a survey by the Washington-based American Savings Educational Council, 33 percent of kids who are ages 12 to 17 nationwide are taking an active interest in the stock market.

Business Foundations teacher Rob Holman said it is important for students in high school to have a general idea of how the stock market works.

“I think students should understand the basic foundations such as what a corporation is and what public trading means as a teenager,” Holman said.

Senior Adam Burns who has been part of the Internship class through the business department here as well as interned at Merrill Lynch, said these programs have helped him understand the importance of the stock market which is relatively unknown to most teenagers.

 “The market gives a lot of detail on how our nation is doing currently and where our economy is going in regards to the future. As teenagers, we are the future and I find it comforting to know the basis to where and why we are heading in the direction we are going,” Burns said.      

Burns has put his views on how the market is important into practice by owning a stock portfolio.

In regards to managing his stock portfolio, Bacon said he has a few tips that have helped him out which include watching CNBC, talking with parents to help students understand the market and taking business classes.

“There is a lot of information out there and it seems endlessly confusing at first, however that’s just Wall Street’s way of making you go to some broker who will charge you fees for things you can do yourself,” Bacon said.

Although tips such as these may help some to invest, the key to making money starts with a passion in investment.  This interest in stocks could lead to students going into a stock related career in the future. Students such as Burns have already begun their exploration of business careers through programs including Merrill Lynch and the business department here. Some other students such as Bacon, are just beginning their discoveries in the stock market business.          

“I haven’t really put much thought into it yet; however I do think it would be a cool option for my future,” Bacon said, “There is just something about putting money in and then getting even more money back out that fascinates me.”