The Pennsylvania Council on Financial Literacy, through Brighter Financial Futures, announces that thanks to the sponsorship of Mauch Chunk Trust Company, all students in grades 3-12 can have free full access to the Personal Finance Lab.

This world-class, web-based stock simulation platform and curriculum includes the Personal Budgeting Game, Online Learning with certifications in Personal Finance and Investing 101, plus the Stock Market Challenge.

This cutting-edge, real-time stock market game is derived from Stock-Trak’s University Platform, which is used in over 80% of the top business schools in the United States.

The four-quarter semester programs are held in early fall, late fall, early spring and late spring. Students can learn by using the curriculum, courses, trading, and the budget simulation. The platform provides lessons, assignments and grading, and the Stock Market Challenge and the Personal Budgeting Program.

The competitions are held in the classroom, both county-wide and state-wide.

Pennsylvania Council on Financial Literacy sponsors financial competitions and entrepreneurial programs resulting in over 20,000 student registrations in Pennsylvania. Training and support are provided to hundreds of teachers.

The mission is to provide K-12 students with economics, personal finance, and entrepreneurship skills that elevate their standard of living, quality of life, and professional success. We showcase exceptional talent from business, education, and government.

The entrepreneurship program, Dream-Learn-Pitch, allows students to learn through our online curriculum, at a hybrid Dream, Learn, and Pitch conferences or independently with their teachers. Students can upload their Elevator Pitch to win prizes up to $10,000 and additionally up to $40,000 in college scholarships. See www.dreamlearnpitch.org for details.

Leaders’ Board, week 3

High school:

1. Panther Valley, under the direction of Joseph Steber, with a portfolio of $103,162.90.

2. Palmerton, Sarah Sullivan, $100,057.50.

3 Jim Thorpe, Ben Warren, $99,433.02.

Middle School:

1. Saint John Neumann, Mary Comensky, $100,519.

2 Panther Valley, Joseph Steber, $99,794.57

3. Jim Thorpe, Ben Warren, $99,668.04