GIFTED STUDENTS GET AN EDUCATION ON WORKINGS OF THE STOCK MARKET

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- In just over a month, Todd Matzat has earned about $600 playing the stock market.

Unfortunately, he says, his $10,000 investment is just hypothetical.

Matzat and other students in the Probe gifted program at L.J. Schultz Middle School have been studying the stock market.

Friday, Probe students visited local broker Bob Etherton of Edward D. Jones and Co.

Carolyn Ford, facilitator for the 7th grade program, explained that Probe students who were interested in learning about the stock market took part in the project.

"We try to make the program flexible. Students work in the areas that interest them the most. This was just another vista to open for them. We want to keep these minds with so much potential open to new ideas and also introduce them to potential careers."

Matzat, after soliciting some advice from his father, used his imaginary money to buy shares of Wal-Mart, Exxon, McDonald's Restaurants, and General Electric.

"I thought I would get the highest money from those. Plus they are solid stocks."

Matzat has been keeping track of his investments every day. "I was losing at first," he said. "It was hard getting started. I had to pay the broker's fees and everything."

But he said money can be made investing in stocks.

"It's kind of like the lottery," Matzat said. "You have a chance of making a lot of money if you invest in the right stocks. But it's hard to know what the right stocks will be."

Andrea Clutts divided her money between just two stocks.

"I haven't calculated how much I've made or lost yet," she said. "I check about once a week to see if it's up or down."

Clutts said she's learned that stock market investments are far from a sure thing. "You can't really predict what's going to happen. It's up and down.

"If I was going to invest for real, I would wait until I had a lot of money. If you only had $3,000 and invested half of it, I wouldn't advise that."

Greg Sadler agreed that prudence is important in making investments.

"If you just got married and have twins at home, you probably need to keep your money in savings instead," he said.

Sadler bought Procter and Gamble stock "because my dad works for Procter and Gamble." He bought McDonald's stock "because my sister's boyfriend's family owns a McDonald's."

He bought stock in Coca Cola "because I like Coke better than Pepsi" and Anheuser Busch "because I have been to the brewery."

But he said if he were buying stocks with his own money, he might use a different system for picking his investments.

"For Christmas, the money I get I might see if I can get my parents to let me invest some."