Hawaii student stock pickers are boldly going where many investors are reluctant to go.

With the stock market melting down, 2,636 students are testing the waters in the state's twice-a-year Stock Market Simulation program.

The interactive contest kicked off its fall campaign last Monday with 924 teams and 43 schools representing Oahu, the Big Island, Maui and Kauai. The 10-week competition ended Dec. 5.

Hawaii SMS is administered by the Hawaii Council on Economic Education and funded by the state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Office of the Securities Commissioner.

“;We're very proud of the Hawaii SMS teacher and student participants,”; said Tung Chan, securities commissioner of the DCCA, business registration division. “;The SMS teaches sound and measured investing principles, and if students learn to stick to good principles in the face of volatile markets like we've seen this year, that skill will serve them well throughout their investing lives.”;

Students in grades 3 through 12 invest a hypothetical $100,000 in stocks, bonds and mutual funds over a 10-week period. There are four divisions - aggressive growth, income growth, growth, and elementary - that require different allocations of stocks and bonds.

Aggressive division portfolios must contain 80 percent stocks and 20 percent bonds.

Growth division portfolios must contain 65 percent stocks and 35 percent bonds.

Income/growth division portfolios must contain 50 percent stocks and 50 percent bonds.

And elementary/middle school division portfolios do not have to contain bonds.

The first- and second-place team members at the end of the session receive $100 and $50 savings bonds.

Registration for the program remains open throughout the simulation.

Results can be viewed at www.hawaiisms.com/ranking1.php.