A team of students from Helen C. Cannon Middle School has captured top statewide honors in the fall 2000 Nevada Stock Market Simulation game.

Nevada Secretary of State Dean Heller, whose office serves as primary sponsor of the game, will present trophies to the winning team during a special ceremony at 10:30 a.m. Jan. 4 at the school.

The students, under the guidance of teacher Janice Jensen, won the statewide competition by turning $100,000 in hypothetical start-up money into $129,000 in just 10 weeks.

Students in classrooms throughout Nevada participated in the fall contest, which involves students from elementary school through high school. Teams of students invest hypothetical dollars in the game, which is designed to teach students about economics, finances, and math.

Each team had 10 weeks to buy and sell its hypothetical stocks in an attempt to maximize its portfolio. Teams were charged commissions on all transactions. Teams had the ability to use margin, but were charged interest if they engaged in that leveraging activity.

This fall, all the winning teams were from schools in Clark County.

The top five winners in the elementary division were from the following elementary schools:

--First place. A team from Peggie William's class at Bendorf.
--Second place. A team from Tom Wortman's class at Hoggard.
--Third place. A team from Lori Mohorc's class at James Gibson.
--Fourth place. A team from Robin Borden's class at Martha King.
--Fifth place. A team from Judy Gunderson's class at Katz-McMillan.

The winners in the middle school division were from the following middle schools:

--First place. The statewide champions from Jensen's class at Cannon.
--Second place. A team from Mary Jo Lopez's class at Cannon.
--Third place. A team from Kim Hardgrove's class at Brinley.
--Fourth place. A team from Lopez's class at Cannon.
--Fifth place. A team from Jen Lai's class at Cortney Middle School.

Winners in the high school division were:

--First place. A team from Edward Kammer's class at Horizon South.
--Second place. A team from Rob Sears's class at Cimarron-Memorial.
--Third place. A team from Debbie Miller's class at Green Valley.
--Fourth place. A team from Lonna Schultz's class at Green Valley.
--Fifth place. A team from Kammer's class at Horizon South.

The Nevada Council on Economic Education provides the stock market game for students in grades five through 12. It is administered by the Barbara Schick Center for Economic Education at UNLV and sponsored by the secretary of state's office. Heller's office provides funding for team fees from fines it collects from securities fraud violators.

For additional information, call John Mundy, program coordinator at the Barbara Schick Center for Economic Education at UNLV, at (702) 895-3904 or E-mail him at jmundy@ccmail.nevada.edu.