BLOOMFIELD HILLS — More than 500 high school students from Wayne, Oakland and Macomb county high schools competed in Bloomfield Hills Financial’s Fourth Annual Stock-to-Scholarship Challenge. Students competed in the contest, which offered a total of $8,500 in scholarships. 

This year’s winner, Rida Khatib, a senior at Dearborn High School, earned $5,000 for the college of his choice. Second place winner Kevin Li, a freshman at Troy High School, earned $2,000 in college scholarship funds. Third place winner Madeleine Doute, a sophomore at Plymouth Salem, won $1,000 towards college. Essay winner Joshua Lichtman, a sophomore, at Berkley High School, added $500 to his college fund. 

The contest provides each student with an online brokerage account for them to manage. The accounts are funded with $100,000 stake for students to trade. During the contest, major stock markets were flat. However, Khatib grew his account to a total $124,777.46. 

“It’s important for young people to take an interest in their financial futures,” said Kevin Van Dyke, founder and president of Bloomfield Hills Financial. “Pensions and social security are at risk. They may not have the safety net of past generations. The Stock-to-Scholarship Challenge gives them an opportunity to trade and invest using an array of financial instruments for free.”