Council for Economic Education Launches National Investment Challenge with Vanguard's New My Classroom Investor Simulation

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Council for Economic Education + Vanguard

Sep 09, 2026, 08:59 ET

Challenge brings investing education to high school students nationwide

NEW YORK and MALVERN, Pa., Sept. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- In time for a new school year, the Council for Economic Education (CEE) announced today the launch of the National Investment Challenge, a new competition designed to help high school students build foundational investing skills that include setting goals, staying disciplined and balancing risk.

The competition will use Vanguard's new My Classroom Investor, a free, ready-to-use investment simulation that helps high school educators bring investing education to life in the classroom. Early access to the competition opens in November, ahead of a January 2027 kickoff. The competition will include a qualifying round and live state rounds, culminating in a final national round in Philadelphia in May. Teams of students will vie for cash prizes.

The challenge arrives as teens show growing interest in investing and need engaging, practical ways to learn the value of long-term decision-making before real money is at stake. The National Investment Challenge joins CEE's lineup of student competitions, including the National Personal Finance Challenge and the National Economics Challenge. As one of the first national competitions dedicated to capital markets education, the National Investment Challenge will give students the opportunity to participate in a live investing simulation, respond to real-world case studies, and present their investment strategies. The challenge offers an engaging way for students to learn how informed investing decisions can support long-term financial well-being.

"Technology has changed the financial landscape for young adults," said Steve Bumbaugh, Chief Executive Officer of CEE. "Access to thoughtful, interactive tools like My Classroom Investor allows students to engage and learn from their mistakes without the real financial consequences that can come from those choices. This kind of experiential learning deepens student understanding of investing and instills the value of long-term thinking in a very tangible way. As we launch our first National Investment Challenge, we're proud to partner with Vanguard as they have been a steward of financial wellness since 1975."

In My Classroom Investor, students choose a character with a financial goal — such as saving for college — and manage a mock 30-year portfolio where they can buy and sell stocks, bonds, and ETFs. Akin to real life, market shifts and unexpected household events, can affect their portfolios and give students opportunities to rebalance. This simulation is part of Vanguard's popular My Classroom Economy, a free program available to educators to bring financial literacy to life in classrooms across the country.

"We believe every student should have the opportunity to learn how investing can support long-term financial well-being," said Aldustus (AJ) Jordan, Head of Community Stewardship at Vanguard. "The National Investment Challenge gives students a meaningful, hands-on way to put foundational investing principles into practice, make decisions in real time, and build confidence in skills that can shape their financial futures."

The program maps to Vanguard's investing principles, CEE Standards, and the CFA Investment Foundations exam, so students are not just competing — they're building credential-ready skills. 

For teachers, students and individuals who'd like to learn more, click here.

About CEE:

The Council for Economic Education's (CEE's) mission is to equip K–12 students with the tools and knowledge of personal finance and economics so that they can make better decisions for themselves, their families and their communities. We carry out our mission in three ways. We advocate to require financial and economic education in every state. We provide training, tools and resources — online and live through over 180 affiliates nationwide — to more than 40,000 teachers annually, who in turn bring the highest quality economics and personal finance instruction to over 4 million students. We deepen knowledge and introduce high school students to critical career capabilities through our national competitions and Invest in Girls program. Learn more at CouncilForEconEd.org and on LinkedIn and on Facebook.

About Vanguard:

Founded in 1975, Vanguard is one of the world's leading investment management companies. The firm offers investments, advice, and retirement services to tens of millions of individual investors around the globe—directly, through workplace plans, and through financial intermediaries. Vanguard operates under a unique, investor-owned structure where Vanguard fund shareholders own the funds, which in turn own Vanguard. As such, Vanguard adheres to a simple purpose: To take a stand for all investors, to treat them fairly, and to give them the best chance for investment success.

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