Jill Lucero, a business teacher at East High, recently received notice she was the recipient of a $2,000 national grant for innovative teaching from Voya Financial. She earned the award with her program “Don’t Delay, Invest Today.”

Only 100 educators out of 1,200 applicants across the country received the award. Lucero will put the money to good use in her Money 101 classroom. She says the grant will give her students the chance to play the Stock Market Game in Wyoming, where they will use hands-on activities to see how investing choices work. The award gives an opportunity for each student to invest, rather than investing as a group.

Students who excel in the Wyoming Stock Market Game can earn an invitation to the Capital Hill Challenge. The Capitol Hill Challenge matches Members of Congress with students, teachers, and schools competing in The Stock Market Game in their respective district or state. Student teams manage a hypothetical $100,000 online portfolio and invest in real stocks, bonds, and mutual funds.