Thanks to a prudent investment strategy and careful stewardship, the Investment Club at St. John’s saw its portfolio grow by 11 percent this year. On the strength of that increase, club members made a $1,000 donation to the Peter Frates Fund. Peter, a 2003 Prep graduate, was recently diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and the fund was established to aid with his medical expenses. Visit Pete's website to learn more.

The Investment Club began with a virtual portfolio in 2001. one year later, John Carnevale ’81, a trustee at St. John's and president of Sentinel Financial Group, contributed seed capital that enabled the group to build and manage a real-life portfolio. Since that time, the club has outperformed the S&P, posting average annual returns of four percent. Students work closely with Michael Carlson of Sentinel Financial Group, who acts as an advisor for the club, and Prep economics teacher David Hennessey '83, who is the faculty moderator.

From the beginning, giving back has been a priority for the club, which donates a portion of its earnings to support a worthy cause each year. Last year, the group contributed $1,000 to Catholic Relief Services’ earthquake recovery efforts in Japan. They have also supported the Peace Abbey in Sherborn, the Jared Coppola '11 Fund, and the Prep's tuition assistance program.