For the fourth straight semester, one of Wheaton Academy’s stock trading teams, FTX Bros, has taken first place in the Calamos MarketWatch Investment Competition. FTX Bros outperformed 30–70 teams each semester from schools across the Chicagoland area, accumulating an impressive $850,000 in gains over the four competitions. Congratulations to team members, Charlie Scherer ’26, Daniel Ciszek ’26, TJ Sias ’26, and Gabe Stein Rodrigues ’26!
The Calamos MarketWatch competition simulates a $1 million trading portfolio and offers students real-world exposure to investment strategy and market analysis. If the FTX Bros gains had been compounded rather than reset each semester, the team’s portfolio would have grown to exceed $2.1 million after starting with $1M twelve months ago.
Reflecting on the experience, Charlie shared his perspective on the team’s investment philosophy, “The most important thing in trading is thinking long-term. If you’ve done the research and believe in your strategy, then most of the time the gains will outweigh the losses. Instead of overreacting to downturns, like those the tariff announcements caused this spring, we took the opportunity to increase our risk and capitalize on the likely rebound. We trusted our strategy and allowed the market to recover, ultimately resulting in greater gains.”
The team’s success has led to multiple opportunities to connect with professionals at Calamos Investments, including a shadow day at the company.
Hands-on learning experiences like this have been strengthened by the Academy’s new Business and Innovation Center, completed as part of the For Generations to Come campaign. The space is not only home to the Business Club and DECA team, it’s where students like Charlie are learning to lead, collaborate, and apply their skills in meaningful ways.
“As the student leader of the Business Club, I’ve been given so many opportunities to grow in confidence, leadership, organization, public speaking, and countless other business skills,” Charlie shared at the space’s dedication. “We are given real experiences to grow in our understanding of asset growth and the stock market. Visiting speakers show students how to make the world a better place through business, whether through a mobile coffee shop or a non-profit organization helping kids around the world, we all have a role in spreading God’s love. All of these amazing opportunities are thanks to this space.”
The ongoing success of FTX Bros is more than a win in a simulation. It’s part of an expansive program where students learn to lead and steward their financial resources with purpose for the glory of God.