Students get a chance to experience the real world of bill paying and budgeting!

On Tuesday November 22, 2011, our 8th grade students had the opportunity to participate in a simulation designed to help them appreciate how hard it is to stretch a dollar.  We are hoping it also helps each of them appreciate how hard you work to put food on the table, heat in the home, and clothes on everyone’s back!

The simulation was called “Real Money, Real World” and was offered to us from the Ohio State University Extension Office here in Warren County.  Here is how the program worked.

Mrs. Burchfield, our guidance counselor, spent several days in different classes working with the students to survey them about what careers they might be interested in and how much money they could potentially make in a chosen career field.  But, there was one catch!  If a student wanted to be a doctor, but had a low grade point average, he or she was given a profession other than a doctor.  We all know you need a strong academic background to be in medical school, and so our students’ current grade standing was figured into their career choices. As a final step to securing their occupation, each student sat with an interviewer to experience the feel of an interview for their job. 

The next step had the students figuring their gross and net monthly income.  Students were given a monthly salary and had to subtract the same things we have taken out of our paychecks - taxes, health insurance, and maybe an automatic savings plan. 

Then the real fun began!  With the help of local businessmen and women students had to visit a series of booths set up in our gym to purchase certain goods and services that we all need to provide at home, such as:

• Housing and car expenses
• Insurance and utilities
• Food and clothing
• Phone and child care
• Credit bills they might have

Through these experiences students were able to see their “real money” shrinking very quickly in the “real world.”  Some of them even overdrew their checking accounts and had to refigure a monthly budget and visit the financial assistance booth.

Our goal is for students to see their educational choices right now have an impact on their future earning potential.  Life has consequences for the choices we make, and as these 8th graders enter high school we want them to make the most of the next four years so their “real world” will be the best it can be!  We appreciate all of the help of our local businesses who volunteered their time and talents to make our simulation as “real” as it could be.

If you would like to see some pictures from our simulation please click here for the photo gallery.  Thanks!