Rep. Jackie Walorski held a virtual visit with students at Argos Community Jr-Sr High School participating in the SIFMA Foundation’s Capitol Hill Challenge (CHC) program, supported by the Charles Schwab Foundation. This national 14-week financial education competition pairs individual members of Congress with public schools in every congressional district to participate in a fun, educational program that instills a deeper understanding of personal finance and economics.
Rep. Walorski spoke with Argos Community Jr-Sr High School student teams who are managing a hypothetical $100,000 online investment portfolio of listed stocks, bonds, mutual funds, impact investments and cash. Students learn about saving and investing and develop a better understanding of fiscal policymaking, the role of the capital markets, and global economic trends. The competition uses the SIFMA Foundation’s curriculum-based Stock Market Game™, a financial education program that is proven to raise student scores on tests in mathematics and economics and to improve students’ and teachers’ personal financial behavior. At the end of the competition, the top 10 performing teams win prizes and national recognition plus the chance to engage directly with government, business and education leaders, virtually or in-person (as per health and safety guidelines).
“For more than a decade, the SIFMA Foundation’s Capitol Hill Challenge and Stock Market Game have helped students from around the country become financially capable,” said Kenneth E. Bentsen, Jr., SIFMA President & CEO. “Our industry is committed to helping students learn the importance of saving and investing, while also providing them a solid foundation to achieve their future financial goals. I’d like to give special thanks to lawmakers like Rep. Walorski who are connecting personally to engage students on these important issues.”
“Many teens do not receive the financial education they need to successfully manage their money, and programs like the Capitol Hill Challenge can help advance middle and high school students’ understanding of personal finance and the capital markets,” said Carrie Schwab-Pomerantz, President, Charles Schwab Foundation. “Our commitment to this program and SIFMA Foundation stems from our belief in the power of financial education to enable people to achieve long-term financial success.”
“SIFMA Foundation is proud to offer every member of Congress an extraordinary opportunity to help their local public schools access financial education and keep students excited and engaged in learning through the Capitol Hill Challenge,” said Melanie Mortimer, President of the SIFMA Foundation. “By investing in financial capability, we are investing in the success of our youth, our democracy and this nation.”
Since the Capitol Hill Challenge began in 2004, the program has coordinated more than 5,500 matches of U.S. Representatives and Senators with middle and high schools, reaching more than 133,000 students. For more details and to view updates about this year’s program, visit the Capitol Hill Challenge website at www.stockmarketgame.org/capitol-hill-challenge.html
