On Thursday December 22, 25 members of the SAR High School Investment Club were given a private tour of the New York Stock Exchange. They arrived at the exchange before 3:00 p.m. and were taken to different floors of the building. Their tour guide, Joe, was friendly and knowledgeable, and answered questions from the students about how everything works. The tour culminated with a trip to the trading floor.

While on the floor, a Wall Street veteran and senior equity floor broker—known as the “Einstein of Wall Street”—introduced himself to the group and offered to lead a webinar for the club at a later date. He shared his passion and drive for the market and the whole trading process with the students.

“Not only did he give us practical and applicable advice in regards to investments,” said Alexandra Koren, “but in a short time he was able to further motivate and inspire us to continue on our paths through the world of finance, business and overall self improvement.”

“I learned so much from the Exchange both through communicating with traders and visualizing what goes on during market hours,” says senior AZ Rosensaft. “It was also fascinating to learn about the history of both the financial sector and the New York Stock Exchange.”

Overall, it was a phenomenal way to take learning out of the classroom and give students a sense of what working on Wall Street looks and feels like. “It was a great opportunity to see how the stock market is run and learn how trades are executed,” said Jeff Gotel, math teacher and advisor for the Investment Club. “For students who are interested in finance, it was an invaluable and memorable experience.”