Freeport H.S. Students Are
Hofstra/NYMEX Commodities Challenge Champions

Denieda McCullough and William Osei, seniors at Freeport High School, took the top spot in the inaugural Hofstra-NYMEX Commodities Challenge for high school students recently. The two-person team placed first in the electronic trading portion of the competition, beating out 15 other schools from across Long Island, including Commack and Northport high schools, which placed second and third, respectively.

"It was a great opportunity for our students," said Freeport High School business teacher Eileen Shultis. "They learned it wasn't so easy, that you don't automatically make money—that, right there, is a valuable lesson—and you have to invest wisely."

The two-day program was a great way for students to gain an understanding of how the market works. Students traded crude oil futures using real-time prices for electronic trading. They also participated in open-cryout trading complete with shouting and hand signals and a realistic feel of being in the trading pit thanks to Hofstra University's Martin B. Greenberg Trading Room.

"This was an excellent educational opportunity and a once-in-a-lifetime experience for the Long Island high school students," said Ahmet Karagozoglu, associate professor of finance and academic director of the trading room at Hofstra.

"It was a great way to learn about the stock market," said William Osei. "It was exciting to see how it all works."

The whole group learned a crucial lesson when the market dropped dramatically in a matter of seconds. "When oil prices plunged, there was a collective gasp in the room, but my students, who had played the market more conservatively, didn't gasp as loud, because they traded conservatively."

Students also gained valuable knowledge from professors at Hofstra’s Frank G. Zarb School of Business and representatives of the New York Mercantile Exchange, who shared their academic and hands-on expertise during the two-day event.

Freeport Public Schools is a diverse, innovative district on Long Island’s South Shore serving about 6,750 students in grades Pre-K— through 12. The district and its eight schools take pride in having the region’s only Magnet Schools of Choice, a longstanding and award-winning classroom English/Spanish Dual Language Program, and a high school where students excel in competitions that include the regional Academic Challenge, Odyssey of the Mind and Future Problem Solving International. The district’s New Visions School of Exploration and Discovery has been named a National Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education for its high student performance and engaging curriculum.