Xavier Leslie of the 100 Black Men of Savannah’s Stock Market Junior Investment Club won 1st Place. He triumphed at the Wells Fargo National Junior Investment Competition on June 16, 2022, in Hollywood, Florida during the 100 Black Men of America’s 36th Annual Conference.
Xavier is an 11thgrade honor student at Georgia Cyber Academy. He is very active with the 100 Black Men of Savannah and at Overcoming by Faith Ministries. In two local 2020 Stock Market Competitions, Xavier tied 1st and finished 3rd against competitors. Xavier credits his mom, Tanisha Chaplin, with his success. With Xavier at the helm, there was no doubt that he would do extremely well at the national level. This is Xavier’s second year participating in the Wells Fargo National Junior Investment Competition. In 2021, Savannah finished the Wells Fargo National Junior Investment Competition in 3rd Place, led by a first-time competitor, Jeremiah Garrett. Currently, Jeremiah is dual enrolled at New Hampstead High School and Savannah Technical College.
Scholars are well prepared for the competition through the dedication of men from the 100 Black Men of Savannah, including Professor Kelly Rawls, President Harold Oglesby, and Charles Gilyard, Economic Empowerment Committee Chairman. Gilyard originated the group in 2015 along with Ray Truitt and Dale Hungerford at Windsor Forest High School.
The Stock Market Junior Investment Club is designed to present high school juniors, seniors, and college scholars with the opportunity to learn how the stock market can provide an additional income stream to supplement their career income, thereby building generational wealth and managing that wealth to build financial legacies for their families.
Professor Kelly Rawls is a former scholar in the 100 Black Men of Savannah Stock Market Club at Windsor Forest High School. He and his teammate, Arielle Carter, participated in the Wells Fargo National African American History Challenge in New Orleans, LA, in 2017. They won the 2nd place National Championship and were each awarded $1,000. This was the first time that scholars from the 100 Black Men of Savannah entered a national competition. Rawls has since returned to the 100 Black Men of Savannah Stock Market Club to donate his wisdom, wealth, and work. Rawls lectures scholars on the components and functions of the stock market.
Three 3-year groups of scholars have completed the Stock Market Junior Investment Club. Many of the Stock Market Junior Investment Club scholars have continued to participate in the stock market by opening private accounts after high school graduation and during college. Absolutely all proceeds from stock market earnings are split between the scholars. The 2021 graduates earned $5,228.00, each. Additionally, each student’s private stock market account, among the 2021 graduates, was funded for them to further encourage the importance of wealth building and management.
The 100 Black Men of Savannah’s Junior Investment Club scholars, along with President Harold Oglesby, chaperones, staff support, and parents flew to Hollywood, Florida on Wednesday, June 15, 2022. They were joined by hundreds of students from across the United States and three foreign countries. Their agenda consisted of a Salute to Youth Luncheon, National Junior Investment Competition, Hands-on Banking, Youth Workshops, Youth Excursions, an airboat tour of the Everglades, and a variety of other learning and social activities. The scholars will return home to start preparing for their next national competition in Las Vegas, NV, in June 2023.
Source: savannahtribune.com
