This was previously published in our April 2026 issue.
While many teens have been recklessly spending money through sports betting, many have also taken more calculated risks, turning to stock market investing as a way to grow their money.
According to a 2023 Fidelity Study, “approximately 23 percent of teens (ages 13-17) have started investing, and 75 percent consider it important, driven by a desire to secure their financial future.”
This reflects the rise of investing at Emmaus High School through the increasing involvement in clubs like Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), the growth of enrollment in business courses like A.P. Economics, and the increase in students’ personal investing portfolios. Due to the increase in financial awareness through social media and earlier business education, teens can expand their bank accounts by investing earlier than ever.
Junior Chris Stone falls into this trend, being a state qualifier of FBLA and participating in econometrics research at Lehigh University. His interest in economics began far before high school, though, where curiosity and savings helped him start.
“I started, I think in seventh grade. I had a bunch of money saved up, and I didn’t want to keep it in a bank account…where it doesn’t accumulate any interest, it doesn’t grow.” Stone said.
Teens like Stone are getting their hands on more money and are looking for beginner-friendly technology to invest.
Independent Financial Advisor Charlotte Stellwagen has seen this in her work and attributes much of it to the accessibility of modern technology.
“There is updated data showing that youth participation in the markets is exploding. In 2025, children and teens invested over $70 million. This is due to the accessibility of apps like Robinhood, Greenlight, and Bloom,” Stellwagen said.
As the interest and popularity of investing grow, so do the opinions of those who question whether children have the knowledge and means to properly invest their money. Others believe that teenagers participating in the stock market raises concerns. Without experience or proper guidance, young investors may treat the market like gambling rather than a long-term venture.
However, others believe starting early allows students to learn valuable lessons about money management while the stakes are still relatively low.
Senior Roman Herman agrees with this sentiment. He recognized not only the fact that children may not know what they are doing, but that this lack of knowledge will make them make mistakes that they can learn from before the consequences become more severe.
“If you lose 100 bucks, you lose 100 bucks. So I think just being able to explore your different options and explore investing is important now, before you put more money in as an adult,” Herman said.
For students like Stone and Herman, the biggest advantage of starting to invest early is not necessarily a guaranteed path to profit, but the learning that takes place along the way. Early investing allows these teens to learn how the market works, how to manage risk, and how to make informed financial decisions while the consequences remain relatively small.
