Wrapping Up the 2025 JA Stock Market Challenge®

Author: Cathy Essick
Community Involvement
Published: Friday, 02 May 2025

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Image caption: Congratulations to the Cash Cows from Lone Tree High School — 1st place winners of the 2025 JA Stock Market Challenge® Student Event! This team topped the leaderboard with sharp strategy and teamwork

On April 24th, the Olympic South Side Theater in Cedar Rapids was alive with energy as students and professionals stepped into the fast-paced world of finance at the 2025 JA Stock Market Challenge®. More than $100,000 was raised to support Junior Achievement programs across Eastern Iowa, this year’s event was a tremendous success—uniting future leaders and local businesses to champion youth financial education.

Student Event Highlights
Twenty-seven student teams from high schools across the region took part in a high-stakes stock market simulation, putting their financial skills and teamwork to the test. Claiming first place were the Cash Cows from Lone Tree High School. Their strategic decisions and quick thinking earned them the top spot.

Congratulations also go to:
• Second Place: Wall Street Warriors – Springville High School
• Third Place: Stonks – Kennedy High School (Cedar Rapids CSD)

This hands-on experience gave students a chance to explore investing, market strategy, and collaboration in a dynamic, real-world environment.

image of a group of adults receiving a trophy

Image caption: United Iowa Financial’s team High Risk, No Reward claimed the Highest Portfolio Value at the 2025 JA Stock Market Challenge® Corporate Event—finishing the game with the most valuable portfolio on the floor!

Corporate Challenge Results
Later that evening, 52 corporate teams competed in the adult session of the challenge, showcasing their financial instincts while raising critical funds for JA programming.

Highest Portfolio Value
1. High Risk, No Reward – United Iowa Financial
2. CablePro – CablePro Installations
3. RSM A – RSM

Image caption: RSM A took home top honors for Highest Return on Investment at the 2025 JA Stock Market Challenge® Corporate Event—proving that smart strategy pays off!

Highest Return on Investment
1. RSM A – RSM
2. Bosch Financial – Bosch Financial
3. Hard Hat Hedge Fund – Rinderknecht

Their participation directly supported JA's mission to inspire and prepare young people to succeed in a global economy.

Thank You to Our Sponsors and Supporters
A special thank-you goes to our presenting sponsor, the RSM US Foundation, for their continued partnership and belief in the power of experiential learning. We are also deeply grateful to every educator, volunteer, business leader, and student who made the 2025 JA Stock Market Challenge® possible.

This event is more than just a competition—it’s a launchpad for young people to discover their potential, develop practical life skills, and see themselves as future leaders. We’re already looking forward to next year.