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EDUCATION
Middle
schoolers link lifestyle to education at Reality Store
By:
Cathy Jansen
As adults,
each of us works hard to make our monthly income cover the necessities
and still have a little left over at the end of the month. Wouldn’t
it have been great if we could have had a “trial run”
at adult spending decisions while we were still young and able
to choose our future career? That’s what the eighth-graders
had at Bowling Middle School on Thursday. They had a chance to
see what “Reality” is really like.
That’s
the idea behind the “4-H Reality Store,” a program
supported by Kentucky 4-H that allows middle school students to
get a taste of adult life.
Reality Store youth realize their career choice, the education
required for a career, and potential lifestyle are related. It’s
a way for students to see firsthand how expenses for necessities
as well as luxuries must be balanced with the reality of monthly
income.
During the Reality Store, community business representatives and
volunteers set up tables, or “stores” at the school.
The stores provide various services such as banking, groceries,
insurance, transportation, and utilities. Students are offered
career choices based on their educational aspirations. With their
monthly “paychecks” in hand, students are required
to visit each store to purchase goods and services. Those who
spend wisely may have money left over at the end of the month;
students who make lower salaries or make expensive purchases barely
break even, or may even go bankrupt. For those who can’t
make ends meet, there is a station to get a part-time job.
It’s all just make-believe, but it carries a serious message.
A lot of the teens have big ideas about buying a large house or
a big car, but they really can’t afford it. They can hear
about making these choices from adults, but seeing it on paper
themselves makes a big impact.
The Reality Store makes it as real as possible. We pretend that
every student is 28 years old, and then they draw to determine
how many imaginary children they have. Child care is one of their
biggest expenses. They also must visit the “chance”
store during the session – that’s where life deals
them something unexpected. It could be good, like winning free
groceries, or something bad, such as getting a traffic ticket.
Students may choose from a long career list that includes electrical
engineer, government administrator, construction worker, aircraft
mechanic, agricultural scientist, farm machine operator, physicist,
conservation officer, cook and custodian. However, career choices
are limited, based on G.P.A. of each student. Hopefully, this
causes greater realization of the impact an education has on one’s
choices.
The idea is to teach youth they need to plan ahead. A minimum
wage job may sound like a lot of money to someone who is 16; but
we want them to ask themselves if minimum wage will meet their
needs when they are 30.
Many of the youth who participated in the Reality Store found
out life isn’t so easy. One youth wrote, “Being an
adult is tough work.” Krista Powers wrote, “Groceries
were outrageous.” Another student wrote, “You have
a lot of decisions in life that will make everything harder.”
For more information about other school enrichment programs on
money management, call the Owen County Extension Office at 484-5703.
Educational programs of the Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service
serve all people regardless of race, color, age, sex, religion,
disability or national origin.
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