What was once the Stock and Investments Club  has undergone a change in name and purpose and has now become the Millionaire’s Club,

The Millionaire’s Club is filled with students that want to learn more about their financial future. “We are dealing in credit, banking, finance, basically how to balance a checkbook,” president and founder, senior Robert Pekarek explains. Pekarek adds that the club also teaches students how to do their own taxes. “We are the first HCPS branch in the state,” said senior Jacob Zdon, co-founder and vice president. The club is one of many chapters that exist throughout the state.

There are three officers in the club. As president, Pekarek manages the club and helps with recruitment efforts, which includes recruiting students and speakers.  Zdon helps to write up proposals and advertise the club. The secretary, senior Aidan Riordon, keeps track of attendance and sends out emails.

The club is currently sponsored by Aberdeen Proving Ground Federal Credit Union (APGFCU). The Credit Union provides the members of the club with information, guidance, funding, banners, speakers, and, according to Pekarek, “They are guiding us through this process.” Pekarek has also explained that APG is going to be funding the club for not just this year, but for the next three years, until their club starts generating their own revenue and can sustain itself indefinitely. APG has given the club a grant of $500 dollars.

There are quite a few goals the “millionaires” hope to accomplish. The club has reached a total number of 40 people at the time of writing this article. The members also plan to enter the stock market game. “Every student is given $100,000 dollars in an online portfolio, and then we are managing those portfolios competitively against other schools,” Pekarek states. The state championship will take place at M&T Bank Stadium. They have had local professionals come and talk to the students, including the owner of a small cap firm as well as a local banker.

According to the organizers,  this group was started in hopes to provide students with the knowledge needed for the real world. “We thought there was a need because a lot of students leave high school without the knowledge of how to survive in the real world. So this is basically just a hands-on approach to teaching students real skills that they can use in the world,”  Pekarek says about the purpose.