The Investment Club at St. George’s is the only club that actively deals with real money and assets. The club takes what seems like a cut-throat commitment and humanizes it, making the idea of investing a more approachable and understandable skill for new and old members alike.

Rupert Kay began his foray into investment five years ago as a grade eight student at St. George’s. When asked why he decided to join, Kay said, “I want [sic] to follow in my father’s footsteps and unlock the secrets of the world of investing. Now having been President of the Investment Club for a year, it is suffice to say that he is well on his way to becoming an investment guru.

Kay stresses that the most important lesson learned from his five years in the club is to never give up. “I didn’t understand 95% of what the former Presidents were saying. I persisted and did my own research outside of the club and came back with a renewed vigor to learn. After each club meeting, my understanding increased tenfold.”

This year, the Investment Club visited the Phillips, Hager & North (PH&N) headquarters. They have had conversations with people like John Montalbano, CEO of RBC Global Asset Management, who stressed the importance of integrity in the fast-paced world of investment banking. “I, for one, loved to see the real-world implications of one of our core values.” Kay added.

The club averaged a return rate slightly above 11% this year, but for Kay, this was not his biggest accomplishment. “I’d have to say that the Intramurals which I founded this year was the best part about the club and my proudest achievement. A lot of people told me and the other execs that they loved the sense of community and friendly competition that the Intramurals brought.”

Official certificates signed by Headmaster Dr. Matthews were given out at the end of the Intramurals, and for the winners, they were a nice touch to end a memorable year.

“Another proud and favorite moment of mine was connecting with individual club members,” Kay said, “The smiles and enthusiasm that they brought to every club meeting lightened up the atmosphere and made the meetings so easy and fun to run.” Kay adds that the praise and feedback he’s received from them have helped him sharpen his leadership skills.

For Kay, this year was especially special. “This year, we had the biggest turn out we’ve ever had, with over 90 members signing up. We also had the highest retention rate of club members, most of whom were in grades eight and nine.”

The club had to hold back plans to do multiple trades per term to educate many of the members on the basics of stock investing. Many participants said that they enjoyed the informative learning segments and discussion sessions with Intramural teams and at various financial events.

This year also begat a weekly newsletter, improving coordination between investors. The club also had a Facebook group that catered to the majority of the members.

The club also hosted two guest speakers, Alan Tynan, Vice President of RBC Wealth Management, and Alphil Guilaran, Executive Director of Financial Literacy Counsel.

Kay notes that “It was a good experience watching some people step up to some leadership roles.” Aside from Club Vice President Oscar Hong and Learning Coordinator Andrew Mo, several people stood out with their leadership capabilities. Ty Zhang captained his intramural team, winning the competition, and Roland Huang won the Senior Stock Contest and was the meeting minute taker. Kay would also like to congratulate the grads, Jacob Klein and Phillip Wade, who led intramural teams by example and had exemplary attendance throughout the year.

Philanthropy is one of the pillars of the club, and all profits are donated. This year, the Investment Club donated $2000 to Project Somos Children’s Village in Guatemala, and $2000 to the Canadian Cancer Society’s Relay for Life event.

The Investment Club received a lot of help in order to achieve its successful year. Kay mentions his gratitude towards PH&N for “letting ten high school boys invade their working space (and board room)”. He also wants to thank Mr. Lovell for his endless support and advice, as well as the other executives for helping him run the club. Kay also thanks Ms. Poon for her help with certificates, and thanks the club members for making the club what it is and for making his grad year a “truly unforgettable” one.