Not sure where to invest? Need a little financial advice? Give Carly O’Connell a call.

Sure, she’s only in sixth grade, but the Old Hammondtown School student already has a handle on Wall Street, and she just won a national essay contest to prove it.

After participating in the Stock Market Game after school, Carly entered the InvestWrite essay competition, along with three other Mattapoisett middle schoolers.

As an extension of the game, sponsored by the SIFMA Foundation, the contest asked kids to write an imaginary blog post wherein they analyzed an investment scenario and offered investment advice.

Carly’s post “Ring Ding, Anyone?” discussed the demise of bakery giant Hostess, and recommended that readers invest in Flowers Foods Inc.

The media storm around Twinkies, Ho Hos, and Snowballs, said Carly, “is getting more advertising to drive up sales when the cakes eventually go on sale again. Consequently, the stock prices of whoever purchases this bankrupt company will jump.”

Carly went online and found a host(ess) of rumors that Flowers Foods was bidding for the baked goods.

“They already have the manufacturing capabilities,” she said.  “I invested in Flowers Foods because beyond the fact that it seemed to be financially wise, it is a company that I had personal interest in owning.”

Besides jokes about the indestructible Twinkie, Carly included imaginary comments in her post. One of thousands of submissions that was judged by teachers and financial professionals, the short but sweet blog entry won first place in both Massachusetts and the nation.

“Carly’s essay is truly remarkable. It was unique in that not only did she cover all of the necessary answers and information, but it was super creative,” said Melanie Mortimer, Executive Director of the SIFMA Foundation.

Added to that, it turns out that the budding stock trader was right. In February, Flowers Foods purchased most of the brand’s top products.

Carly’s astute research proved lucrative. Mortimer presented a shocked Carly with a trophy at a school assembly on Thursday afternoon, along with plaques for her teacher Tara Boening and her mother Laura Mirabito, who also teaches sixth grade at the school.

Along with the trophy, Carly, her teacher, and her mother get a three-day trip to New York City where they will get to visit the Stock Exchange. She also got a $100 gift card for her first place win in Massachusetts.

“I was very proud of Carly and very proud of Tara, and the work that she’s done with her students. They deserve all the credit,” said Principal Matt D’Andrea.

For Carly, a future in law or math may be in the works. “I really like math. I think I’m pretty good at it, and it’s really fun,” she said.

D’Andrea said he’s already taking advantage of Carly’s financial help.

He joked, “Carly’s actually managing my portfolio.”