BOSTON – The team of Wilton High School seniors representing Junior Achievement of Greater Fairfield County captured the Staples Sustainable Investing Award at 2026 Future Bound by JA Awards Gala on June 10 at Boston University.
The award went to the team of Melitini Tsirikou, Giaccomo De Paulo, Ryan Doughman, and Peyton MacDonald from Wilton. The award goes to the JA Stock Market Challenge team that made the highest gains through their investments in environmentally sustainable businesses/stocks.
Future Bound showcased the talents and achievements of young entrepreneurs and innovators nationwide. The event featured four dynamic competitions, each highlighting the ingenuity and creativity of over 300 students.
The Wilton students earned their way to the national competition by placing first in their regional Fairfield County competition. Their teacher-educator is Mathematics Teacher Peg Meurer.
The students competed from June 8-11. The event brought together teen entrepreneurs from to inspire and empower them and introduce them to real-world skills and insights. They competed for national honors, awards, scholarships and prizes.
“We have learned the key components of trading: patience and calmness are key in maintaining composure and succeeding,” the Wilton team said in a prepared statement. “We have learned to keep each other composed and reduce any stress our teammates are experiencing.”
The JA National Stock Market Challenge is a market simulation where students are given a hypothetical $1 million to invest and manage.
In addition to the Staples Sustainable Investing Award, honors were given out in the following categories:
JA Company of the Year: Awarded to the student businesses that most effectively demonstrated their companies’ achievements, as well as the personal development of each team member.
- First Place – EVO(Elkins Very Own) – JA of Southeast Texas, Inc.
- Second Place –Joe Flynn Photography – JA North, Inc.
- Third Place – Talk of the Town– JA of Southeast Texas, Inc.
JA Social Innovation Challenge: Awarded to the student projects that reflect diverse solutions that address real-world challenges.
- First Place – ColorFresh – JA of New York
- Second Place –Forget-Me-Not – JA of the Space Coast
- Third Place – All Kids Swim – JA of San Diego County
JA Stock Market Challenge: Awarded to the student team that achieves the highest return on their investment.
- First Place – Eagles of Wallstreet – JA of Greater Miami
- Second Place – Men in Black – JA of OKI Partners
- Third Place – Roaring Kitty – JA of Angelina County/JA of Dallas
JA Titan Challenge: Awarded to the student team that best demonstrates capability in financial decisions, marketing, research and development, and corporate social responsibility to earn the title of JA Titan of Business.
- First Place – Kaboom – JA of Washington
- Second Place – Caribou1 – JA of Maine
- Third Place –PVHS2 – Team – JA of the Heartland
Chick-fil-A Community Impact Award: Awarded to the JA social innovation team that has created a standout solution focused on impacting a local community need.
ColorFresh – JA of New York
Citizens Future-Ready Workforce Award: Awarded to the JA company program team that demonstrates forward-thinking leadership by expanding access to skills and opportunities, helping build the diverse, future-ready talent pipeline.
Sparkbyte – JA North Central Ohio
CNA Operational Stewardship Award: Awarded to the Titan Challenge team that prioritized employee well‑being, managed production responsibly, and maintained operational excellence.
EastLiver Pool 2 – JA of East Ohio
Delta Air Lines Social Impact Award: Awarded to the JA company program team that created a solution to address a local, national, or global social concern.
Heavy Hugs – JA North Central Ohio
FedEx Global Possibilities Award: Awarded to the JA Company Program team that best exhibits the principles of global connectivity.
Sparkbyte – JA North Central Ohio
Jim Sweeny Entrepreneurship Award presented by the Junior Achievement Staff Alumni Network: Awarded to a JA company program individual in recognition of their accomplishments, the role they played in their JA Company and their Entrepreneurial potential.
Lana Nguyen, Team – JA of Southeast Texas, Inc.
Johnson & Johnson STEM Innovation Award: Awarded to the JA Social Innovation team that used innovative science, technology, engineering, and math applications to create a positive community impact.
NextUse – JA of Southeast Texas
Pacific Life Foundation Responsible Innovation Award: An award for the JA Titan Challenge team that best demonstrated excellence in responsible innovation.
PVHS1 – JA of the Heartland
RSM Enduring Excellence Award: Awarded to the JA Stock Market Challenge team that achieves outstanding results through holding onto their investments without selling frequently or making emotional decisions based on short-term market fluctuations.
Huskies of Wall Street – JA of the Desert Southwest
RSM Resilience Award: Awarded to the JA Stock Market Challenge team that experiences the greatest recovery from an early setback in the challenge, showcasing resilience and smart adjustments to their strategy.
Sophrosyne Advisors – JA of the Space Coast
