Two Tobago students are once again proving that the island continues to punch above its weight in innovation, financial literacy and technology-enabled education.
Kaden Ubaid Franklyn of Signal Hill Secondary School and Ansson Joseph of Goodwood Secondary School placed fourth and seventh nationally respectively in the WizdomCRM Sustainable Stock Market AI Game, competing against more than 17,000 students from Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Barbados, Jamaica, Suriname and the Turks and Caicos Islands. Both students were sponsored by WizdomCRM Caribbean Limited to participate in Cycle 12 of the competition.
4th Place National Winner - Kaden Ubaid Franklyn of Signal Hill Secondary School receives his prizes and certification
Their achievements were recognized by the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) during a ceremony at the Office of the Chief Secretary in Calder Hall, attended by Assembly Member Orlando Kerr, Secretary of Education, Skills and Innovation, and Councilor Petal-Ann Roberts, Secretary of Finance, Trade and the Economy. The students received certificates, trophies and prizes for their outstanding performances.
7th Place National Winner - Ansson Joseph of Goodwood Secondary School receives his prizes and certification
Starting with US$25,000 in virtual capital, Kaden grew his portfolio to US$34,830.05, while Ansson finished with US$32,778.84, earning places among Trinidad and Tobago's top young investors. Kaden's cash prize was sponsored by Paria Fuel Trading Company, while Ansson's seventh-place hamper was sponsored by Sunshine Snacks.
Hamper Sponsored by Sunshine Snacks and Cash Prize sponsored by Paria Fuel Trading Company
What makes their success particularly inspiring is the journey behind it. Kaden admits that some of his early investments, including trades involving Tesla, resulted in losses. Instead of giving up, he and his close friend Ansson learned through research, discussion, trial and error, steadily improving their strategies throughout the competition.
"At the beginning, I lost money trading companies like Tesla, but instead of giving up, my close friend Ansson Joseph and I learned from our mistakes through research, discussion and trial and error," Kaden said. "The programme taught me to have the confidence to make decisions based on facts, even when they differ from everyone else's opinion."
Kaden says the competition taught him three important lessons: do your research, be patient and avoid making decisions based on emotion. Although he is considering a career in nursing, investing has become a passion he hopes to continue pursuing. The competition uses gamification, artificial intelligence and real-world stock market simulations to teach students how to save, budget and invest without risking real money. Beyond investing, the programme reinforces concepts taught in Principles of Business, Principles of Accounts, Economics, Mathematics, Information Technology and Social Studies, while developing critical thinking, research, decision-making and emotional discipline.
A key part of the experience is the WizdomCRM Super AI Engine, a Caribbean-developed platform designed to support personalised financial and academic learning. In March 2026, the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC®) confirmed that the WizdomCRM AI Tutor Platform would be referenced in its AI Standards and Guidelines, citing its secure teacher-student engagement features and alignment with international AI education frameworks.
Congratulating the students, Orlando Kerremphasized the importance of combining education, technology and practical learning experiences to help young people succeed in a rapidly changing world. Meanwhile, Petal-Ann Roberts highlighted the role financial literacy plays in creating informed consumers, entrepreneurs, investors and future leaders while supporting long-term economic development.
The achievements of Kaden and Ansson continue a proud Tobago tradition that includes previous national winners Josiah Wallace and Alloy Sammy, reinforcing the island's reputation as one of the competition's strongest-performing regions.
Country Manager - Charielle Plowden delivers motivational remarks during Tobago's WizdomCRM Cycle 12 Award Ceremony
According to Charielle Plowden, Country Manager for Trinidad and Tobago at WizdomCRM Caribbean Limited, the company's vision extends far beyond competition rankings.
"Our ambition is to provide more Tobago students with access to the Stock Market AI Game, WizdomCRM Super AI and our broader suite of gamified learning tools. The objective is bigger than winning a competition. It is about developing financially capable, technologically confident, and economically empowered young people."
For Tobago, the success of Kaden Franklyn and Ansson Joseph is more than a celebration of two outstanding students. It is a testament to what is possible when young people are supported by educators, government leaders, innovative technology, corporate sponsors and forward-thinking programmes that prepare them for success in the digital economy.