Leader leaps to top from far back in pack

2/6/2007

JBAD Inc. not only emerged from the red this week in The Blade's School Stock Contest, but the Bowling Green High School team vaulted from No. 72 in the game's first week to the top spot last week.

After a dismal first week, 59 of 95 teams were in the black during the contest's second week.

JBAD led the way on the success of Seattle Genetics Inc., a maker of cancer-fighting compounds that started climbing last Thursday. The team's imaginary portfolio, which like the other teams' started out at $40,000, reached nearly $42,986 last week.

Bowling Green teacher Terry Mulgrew encouraged students to pick stocks in companies they were familiar with, which helped result in JBAD's selection of McDonald's Corp., Apple Inc., and Cisco Systems Inc. They also were told to consider suggestions from their parents, and one came up with Seattle Genetics, Mr. Mulgrew said.

"It's exciting - they can't wait to see the paper," he said. "We spent a lot of time doing this."

More than 1,350 students from 37 schools are in the contest, co-sponsored by Fifth Third Bank and The Blade's

Newspaper in Education program.

Teams are vying for a first-place prize of $250 for the winning team and $250 for the school. The team whose imaginary portfolio has risen the most at the close of trading May 11 wins. The second-place team gets $150 for the school, and the third gets $100.

Each team had to select four stocks that were trading at $5 or more by Jan. 19, and each stock pick started at $10,000 worth. Teams can substitute any or all stocks at the midway point of the 16-week contest.

Teams with Google Inc. and Under Armour Inc. were hit hard when prices for those stocks plunged last week, said Matt Faltys, vice president and director of portfolio management for Fifth Third.

"The teams that fell the most had those," he said.

The leading team at the end of the first week, "@(^.^)@," from Rossford Junior High, fell to third place last week. MAKNDOH of Gateway Middle School in Maumee rose from 15th place to second.

Contact Julie M. McKinnon at:

jmckinnon@theblade.com

or 419-724-6087.