It takes years to build up the financial savvy to navigate the markets. Naperville fifth-grader Aayush Desai is decades ahead of the game, by becoming the second place national winner in the SIFMA Foundation’s InvestWrite essay competition with McGraw Hill Financial.
Aayush, who attends Indian Prairie District 204’s White Eagle Elementary in Naperville, earned this recognition in the elementary school division of the fall 2014 competition.
The competition asks students in grades 4-12 to analyze an investment scenario and recommend portfolio allocations targeting short- and long-term financial goals. It serves as a culminating activity for nearly 600,000 students nationwide who compete in The Stock Market Game program.
Aayush is one of 20,000 students who take the InvestWrite challenge each year.
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The essay question asked for help to rescue an overloaded piggy ban. Aayush suggested a long-term investment strategy as an alternative.
“Stepping into the financial world, finding the key to the stock market, and fitting the pieces of the corporate puzzle together, means that a little money, inside of a piggy bank, invested wisely, can go a long way. So remember, instead of keeping your money sealed inside of a piggy bank; make it grow, by investing in the stock market,” the fifth-grader wrote in his essay.
Aayush is on the Student Council and his favorite subject is mathematics. He recently won third place in the Boy Scouts pinewood derby.
His teacher, Kerry DiFusco, has been participating in InvestWrite since the program began in 2004 and has had previous state and national winning students.
Naperville North grads honored
Two Naperville North High School graduates, Jennifer Widerstrom (Class of 2000) and Randy Stine (Class of 1995), returned to their hometown to be inducted into the 2015 Learners to Leaders Alumni Hall of Fame.
Many may recognize Widerstrom as the trainer on NBC’s “The Biggest Loser.” She also rose to fame on “American Gladiator” where she went by the name Phoenix.
As a fitness expert, Widerstrom has a passion to help others love the lives they’re living, and promotes healthy living through philanthropy and motivational speaking. For the assembly, Widerstrom was joined by “The Biggest Loser” runner-up Sonya Jones, who lost more than 100 pounds on the show. While at North, Widerstrom was a three-sport athlete, participating in gymnastics, track and diving.
Stine is a founding member of the a cappella group Straight No Chaser.
In 2008, he posted a video of he and his college friends in Straight No Chaser singing the “12 Days of Christmas.” The video became the most viral video of 2007. Seven years later the group has performed hundreds of concerts across 17 countries, sold over a million albums, and performed on television shows.
The Learners to Leaders recognition is given to graduates who have made a significant contribution to their field and who can serve as role models for current Huskies.
White Eagle teacher wins award
The Indian Prairie Educational Foundation and District 204 honored Carolyn Hesselink, a fourth-grade teacher at White Eagle Elementary School, as an A+ Award recipient.
Hesselink was nominated by White Eagle parent Shelley Thompson and her daughter Lily. Shelley described Hesselink as an “amazing teacher” who is dedicated to knowing each and every student.
As a student in Hesselink’s class, Lily was struggling with math, according to her mother. “Lily’s confidence was low and she was convinced she would never learn,” Shelley said. She credits the teacher for turning around her daughter’s attitude. “Math became something she actually looked forward to,” Shelley said.
Her mom also credits Hesselink for helping Lily grow and excel in areas outside of academics. “She is no longer the shy and timid girl she once was,” the mom added.
Teaching is a second career for Hesselink. After working in graphic design, she went back to school to become an educator. Hesselink is in her fourth year of teaching at White Eagle.