The future investment stars are already with us. The NYSE Financial Future Challenge, operated by the NYSE Foundation, By Kids for Kids, K12 Inc. and the United Investors Association, is in full swing, with five finalists just identified. To reach this level, the participants had to develop a new product, idea or process that would "excite, educate and motivate their peers" to become interested in the financial marketplace. The eventual winner lurks within this subset and will receive a $2,500 prize -- a great way to get that portfolio started. And, he or she will be feted at a closing bell ceremony at the NYSE (NYX) on January 11, 2010.

The finalists presented a variety of ideas which are sure to generate some buzz. Kelsey Foss, a 12-year-old from Mountainville, NY, proposed a new television show, "Stock Market Tycoon Idol," which would harness the popularity of reality TV while amping up the content. The program would involve the journeys of 10 kids as they seek to make money or lose it, with the possibility of becoming virtual millionaires along the way. The show would be set at a mock NYSE studio on Wall Street, and exports would be brought out to mentor the contestants. The reality TV reach would help engage a younger audience.

Steady-as-she-goes, to cite an old Star Trek phrase, regarding The Hershey Company (NYSE: HSY), which is why I'm reiterating my Buy rating for the company, first recommended on April 23, 2009 at a price of $37.45.

Manufacturing savings, new products, and promising opportunities for revenue growth in international markets, along with demonstrated marketing prowess, point to a bright future for HSY. The company's dual-class capital structure with unequal voting rights is problematic, but not enough to change the overall investment evaluation.