Eighth-grade students at the
James E. Bazzell Middle School found themselves addressing real-world issues---such
as needing a van (instead of a sports car) to transport their family, having to
decide whether to buy or rent a home, and learning about the expense of child
care---during the annual Reality Store last week. The annual event---sponsored
by the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service----introduced the students
to real-world issues during the role-playing experience.
Students were given “the unique
opportunity to visit their future reality,” and “imagine the reality that
awaits you.” Prior to the day, each student was asked to choose a college major
or career and then consider their life post college or high school graduation. Local
community professionals and volunteers were asked to maintain booths that
represented service providers (such as utilities and health care), banks, and
governmental agencies that individuals will encounter in day-to-day life. Based
on their income, students were asked to make choices with the goal being to
finish the exercise with a balanced checking account or perhaps with money to
save or invest.
Monthly salaries and family
size for the students were predetermined with the first taste of reality being
a lesson on taxes.
“You will start with the Uncle
Sam Booth,” explained Extension Agent Anna Meador in her instructions to the
students. “The Uncle Sam booth represents taxes. Before any adults get their
paychecks, taxes are taken out. The amount of taxes taken out is based upon
your salary and the amount of kids you have and it may differ. I will note that
you do need to go to transportation and housing before you go to the property
tax booth. Then, you will go to the other booths.”
In addition, each student
learned about balancing a checkbook. In their paperwork, the students had a
sheet that represented a check book balance register with their “income” listed
at the start of the month. The volunteers at each booth then deducted the
expenses thus giving students a visual look at how money comes and goes each
month.
The students quickly encountered
some basic truths. One student at the transportation table learned that the SUV
he desired was unaffordable due to his salary. At the housing booth, a student discovered
that her dream home was out of her price reach, forcing her to settle on
renting instead. Students had to consider health care, monthly food expenses,
clothing costs, and “pay” their property taxes at the property tax booth---a
booth maintained by Allen County Sheriff Jeff Cooke and his office staff.
Additional booths included
insurance, child care, communications, credit cards, entertainment, home
furnishings, health and grooming, groceries and eating out, student loans,
utilities, traveling and the crystal ball booth---a booth in which students
were asked to draw randomly from a bowl. The drawn paper revealed an unexpected
income source or an unexpected expense---another example of the reality of
life.
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