SIFMA & SIFMA Foundation Celebrate 23rd Anniversary of Capitol Hill Challenge; Announce Top 10 Schools
Students & Teachers to Be Honored at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC
Washington, DC, May 20, 2026 – SIFMA and the SIFMA Foundation today announced the winning teams and congratulated the 7,300 students competing in the 2026 Capitol Hill Challenge (CHC), a national financial education program underwritten by Charles Schwab Foundation.
Students from public middle and high schools across the country participated in this year’s challenge, which introduces young people to investing, capital markets and long-term financial decision-making through hands-on learning.
To recognize their achievement, the 10 highest-performing teams will be honored at a June 10 reception at the U.S. Capitol, where students and teachers will meet with Members of Congress and be recognized for their performance in the 14-week competition.
Public schools representing every U.S. congressional district participated in the Capitol Hill Challenge, with student teams paired with their Members of Congress. Throughout the program, teams manage a hypothetical $100,000 online portfolio of stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and cash. Teams apply classroom learning to real-world market scenarios through a standards-based curriculum designed to strengthen financial capability and economic understanding, gaining firsthand exposure to market dynamics while building skills in economics, mathematics and personal finance. As market conditions shifted throughout the competition, teams adapted their strategies in pursuit of the strongest portfolio performance nationwide.
2026 Capitol Hill Challenge – Top 10 Schools
- Buena Vista High Schoolin Omaha, NE, District 2, Congressman Don Bacon
- Red Bank Charter Schoolin Red Bank, NJ, District 6, Congressman Frank Pallone Jr
- Laona High School in Laona, WI, District 7, Congressman Thomas Tiffany
- Discovery High School in Lawrenceville, GA, District 13,The LateCongressman David Scott
- Normandy High School in Parma, OH, District 7, Congressman Max Miller
- Tennyson High School in Hayward, CA, District 14
- Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciencesin Chicago, IL, District 1, Congressman Jonathan Jackson
- Indiana Math & Science Academy in Indianapolis, IN, District 7, Congressman AndréCarson
- South Umpqua High School in Myrtle Creek,OR, District2, Congressman Cliff Bentz
- William P Jarrett Middle SchoolinHonolulu, HI, District 1, Congressman Ed Case
“Financial education is one of the most practical investments we can make in the next generation,” said Kenneth E. Bentsen, Jr., SIFMA president and CEO. “The Capitol Hill Challenge gives students a meaningful introduction to how markets work and the discipline required to build long-term financial security. Alongside the SIFMA Foundation, SIFMA is proud to partner with Charles Schwab Foundation, and we commend the Members of Congress who engaged with students, both virtually and in person, to support financial education in their local schools.”
The Capitol Hill Challenge reaches public middle and high school students in every congressional district, combining financial education with a deeper understanding of civics and fiscal policy. Since its launch in 2004, CHC has facilitated more than 8,500 partnerships between schools and U.S. senators and members of Congress, reaching nearly 180,000 students nationwide. This year’s challenge included participants from all 50 states.
“Too many young people reach adulthood without the tools or confidence to make informed financial decisions,” said Lisa Hunt, Director, Charles Schwab Foundation Board of Directors; Managing Director, Head of International Services for Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.; and Vice Chair, SIFMA Foundation Board of Directors. “Programs like the Capitol Hill Challenge help close that gap by giving students direct experience with investing, long-term planning, and the habits that support financial resilience. We are proud to support an effort that equips students with skills they will carry well beyond the classroom.”
In an era shaped by social media Finfluencers, easy-access credit and payment apps, and increasingly complex financial choices, SIFMA Foundation’s programs like the Capitol Hill Challenge prepare young people to make sound financial decisions, build lasting financial resilience, and avoid the pitfalls of misleading or short-term advice. They also expose young people to the power of capital markets, investing and the positive compounding effect of starting eary in life to save and invest.
“The Capitol Hill Challenge demonstrates what is possible when educators, policymakers, and the private sector work together to expand access to financial education,” said Melanie Mortimer, President of the SIFMA Foundation. “By connecting young people to real-world concepts in investing and economics, we are helping them make informed financial choices and build stronger futures for themselves and their communities.”
The SIFMA Foundation offers the nation’s most widely used and validated in-school investor education programs, helping students better understand the global economy and the role financial markets play in creating opportunity. Through hands-on, curriculum-based learning experiences, educators can simulate real-world investing and reinforce key concepts in economics and personal finance. In turn, teachers help extend financial capability to the millions of students they collectively reach while strengthening their own engagement with personal financial planning.
The Capitol Hill Challenge utilizes SIFMA Foundation’s Stock Market Game™, which operates in all 50 states and has reached 24 million students since 1977. SIFMA Foundaiton will offer a free 2026 Summer Stock Market Game for families nationwide. To learn more about the program, visit www.stockmarketgame.org.
About the SIFMA Foundation
The SIFMA Foundation is committed to closing the opportunity gap by fostering greater knowledge of the financial markets for young people of all backgrounds. Drawing on the support and expertise of educators and the financial industry, the Foundation provides financial education to strengthen economic opportunity across communities and increase awareness of the benefits of the global marketplace. Since 1977, the Foundation’s flagship program, The Stock Market Game™, has guided more than 24 million students on their path to financial independence by attaining stronger life skills, improving academic achievement, and boosting their social-emotional learning. Families can try The Stock Market Game’s free Summer Session, a hands-on investing experience from June 29 – August 14, where participants build real-world financial skills in an engaging, practical way. For more information on the summer session, visit www.stockmarketgame.org and for information on the SIFMA Foundation, visit www.sifma.org/foundation.
About SIFMA
SIFMA is the leading trade association for broker-dealers, investment banks, and asset managers operating in the U.S. and global capital markets. On behalf of our industry’s nearly 1 million employees, we advocate on legislation, regulation, and business policy, affecting retail and institutional investors, equity and fixed income markets and related products and services. We serve as an industry coordinating body to promote fair and orderly markets, informed regulatory compliance, and efficient market operations and resiliency. We also provide a forum for industry policy and professional development. SIFMA, with offices in New York and Washington, D.C., is the U.S. regional member of the Global Financial Markets Association (GFMA). For more information, visit http://www.sifma.org.
About Charles Schwab Foundation
Charles Schwab Foundation is an independent nonprofit public benefit corporation, funded by The Charles Schwab Corporation and classified by the IRS as a charity under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The Foundation is neither a part of Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. (member SIPC) nor its parent company, The Charles Schwab Corporation. Its mission is to help people of all backgrounds achieve brighter futures by advancing financial literacy and fostering stronger communities. More information is available at http://www.schwabmoneywise.com/foundation.
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