Hands-On Science and Real-World Finance at Short Hills

In Crazy Chemworks, campers became junior chemists as they experimented with five different substances: water, sodium borate, glycerin, calcium chloride, and vinegar. Using universal indicator strips, they tested the pH levels of each chemical to identify whether they were acids, bases, or neutral. The highlight of the activity was adding baking soda to each substance to observe chemical reactions.

Meanwhile, in our Investment & Stock Markets class, campers took control of a simulated $100,000 portfolio and began making strategic decisions on which stocks to buy. Through discussions and hands-on trading exercises, they explored key financial concepts like risk and diversification. They learned about unsystematic risk through the example of Volkswagen’s emissions scandal, which affected one company specifically, and systematic risk through the global impact of COVID-19, which disrupted the entire market.