As the school year is coming to a close, this means the beginning of the seniors’ lives in the “real world.” Sometimes that sounds exciting, and it is, but sometimes it can be really frightening. You know you are going to have to pay bills, but how? How will you afford them? Will you have extra money?

The Financial Reality Fair on Friday, May 4 was designed to help seniors answer these questions in a unique way.

“The fair is an opportunity for students to learn what it’s like to live within their budget,” said Mrs. Chris Shelley (Faculty).

Shelley thought that the fair would be a good opportunity for the senior class to take par as they will get to see in a real-world situation some of the things they have been learning in class.

“It’s part of my curriculum, it’s part of the curriculum in Personal Finance courses,” said Shelley.

Before the event could take place, the seniors had to do a little preparation so they were ready for the day. They had to look up the career they wanted to do and find the starting salary, which is the salary they will have to use for the day. The students also were required to do a survey asking about how much they save, how much they will make, and what their plan is for spending and saving in the future. They will get a copy of their budget with their salary on it, but it will also have their student loans on there if they plan on going to college to make the fair even more realistic. Seeing their salary on paper is a way to let students see what their financial life will be like.

“I made more money than I thought I would and it was comforting,” said Logan Rockwell (12) “I will have money to pay off my student loans”

The First Ed Credit Union is hosting the event and is going to be guiding the students throughout the day. There are going to be 13 different expense booths with different options of things students need or want to buy. The different tables include: Housing, Food, Utilities, and Clothing. Not only do the students have to buy these things, they also have the option to buy other things that are not required.

“I bought a dog because I like them and I think they’re worth the money,” said Josie Myers (12).

There are things in the fair that students may want but cannot afford with just their salary, so that is why there is a part-time job option. Another part of the fair is going to be the reality wheel. The wheel is many things that could be good or bad. Life can take unexpected turns sometimes, so there are things like winning the lottery or having your car break down and having to buy a new one. These are all things that could happen to the student in real life.

“I lost $30 for a doctor’s co-pay,” said CarlyCaron (12) “When you’re an adult getting sick can be expensive”

Each student has one hour at the fair to buy all the things that they need and want while remaining within their budget.

“The last thing they will do is go to visit the financial advisors,” said Shelley “when they are finished, they’ll visit the advisors who will look over their budget, and see if they stayed within their budget and met their goals,”

If the students were not able to maintain their budget they have to go back to the tables and adjust their spending. Some students may even stay under budget, and the advisors will discuss some things that they may be able to do with their extra money. Maybe they did not buy a pet because they were not sure they could afford it. Now, they know they can, and if they keep to their budget, they will be able to keep it. Another thing the advisors will discuss with the students is if they will be able to invest their money into anything, and what would be good for them to invest in. After this, their time at the fair is over.

“I hope they learn how to prioritize their spending, how to recognize that fixed expenses have to come first,” said Shelley “And the importance of budgeting and the importance of education.”