3 images of students and bank employees

https://www.canva.com/design/D...

Our Personal Financial Literacy Social Studies classes did a real life budgeting activity with the State Employees' Credit Union last week.  Each student received a persona that included job, martial status, and child information.  The students then visited each station set up (housing, groceries, transportation, etc) to select items and pay bills.  If they ran out of money, there was a help station to talk with or they could go back and make different selections (maybe they don't need that expensive sports car).

Mariah McMinn said, "I learned to save my money and be wise about my spending" after the experience.  Michael Mbodwam agreed that this activity "not only prepared me for situations we can be sure to face, but also allowed us to take what were only concepts in class closer to reality."

A special thank you to the SECU employees who helped with this experience!