Danville Independent Schools congratulates John W. Bate Middle School and Edna L. Toliver Intermediate School for their great performance in the statewide SIFMA Foundation Stock Market Game. Both schools had first place winners state-wide on middle and elementary school levels, and Bate had students who won second statewide as well.

In the game, teams of one to four students began a simulation with an imaginary investment of $100,000 to trade stocks, bonds, mutual funds and exchange-traded funds on the NYSE and NASDAQ, according to a SIFMA Foundation press release. Students with the most imaginary money by April 15 were declared the winners.

Gifted and Talented instructor Tony Carney said students at Bate and Toliver started the game in November, and he’s proud of how well they did.

Congratulations to the following students from Bate:

• Seventh-grader Matthew Barber, who won first place in the stock market game statewide.

• Eighth-graders Grayson Johnson and Benjamin Wilson. Grayson and Benjamin were partners in the game and took second place statewide.

Congratulations to these Toliver students:

• Fifth-graders William Otto and Josiah Policarpio, who were the first-place winners statewide on the elementary level.

• The organization recognized the top two teams or individuals on both the middle and elementary levels with shirts, medals, a banner and other gifts.

Carney said Bate also had students who placed fourth, fifth, sixth, eighth, and several others in top 10 or 20.