Santa Fe High’s newly formed Stock Market Club filled seats at a meeting last month as guest speakers guided students in the adventure of investment. Recent speakers included Zion Miller, Santa Fe High alumnus and stock market connoisseur, and Jason Brady, president and CEO of Thornburg Investment Management. These guests answered questions, offered personal insights into the future of investing, discussed strategy, and left students with a hunger to get started.

            Miller, a graduate of the Class of 2016 who is still in college, discussed his personal experiences with the stock market and directed students to his website, www.msmoneymoves.com. Working with students from top colleges around the country, Miller offers outlines of investment strategies on this site, explaining concepts such as “puts” and “short sales,” and discusses some companies that they recommend investing in and why.

Miller, who had just returned from a lavish trip to Japan, shared the potential benefits of investing while young when students have a fallback in their parents, as well as the ease which which he himself invests. In high school, Miller worked hard and gathered money to begin investing. From this he managed to build his revenue and put more back into the stock market. Now he is an avid investor likely to trade a few stocks before lunch every day.

Aside from sharing his personal experience, Miller also fielded questions regarding cryptocurrency, the pros and cons of mutual funds, and when to participate in risky investing. He discussed the fast-paced and lucrative market of biochem, a field he himself actively invests in.

Having gotten the go-ahead from the club adviser, Mr. Caldwell, students left the room that day ready to invest the theoretical money coming from the club’s central stock market game, and also ready to dive into the bankable world of self-investment.

            Thornburg’s Jason Brady offered a less personal, more general view of the current stock market, prompted by the opening question, “What do you think of the bull market?” Brady discussed his optimistic view surrounding the field of finance altogether, outlining how trends often show there is nowhere to go but up. As he spoke on the delicate nature of today’s rising market, however, Brady stressed that “often” does not mean “always.”

Whether students were interested in business, investment, politics, or even psychology, Brady covered it all, stating that finance is not just about math but also the psychology of business and the tendencies of the consumer population. Business isn’t just about money — it’s also about the people who spend it.

            By making their presentations relatable to students, the Stock Market Club’s recent guest speakers kicked off the year by sparking student interest in an increasingly accessible field. The club will now begin its journey into the world of investment as students begin their participation in the annual “Stock Market Game” competition.