On March 28, Chenango Valley High School seniors experienced first-hand lessons in financial management at the annual “Life is a Reality” Expo, sponsored by Visions Federal Credit Union. The event was held at the Broome-Tioga BOCES Education Center.
With the help of representatives from Visions, this educational experience presented students with an interactive and authentic look at managing money. Students prepared for the event through economics/government classwork.
With a chosen occupation, each student navigated through various booths that simulated real-life scenarios and necessities. These included scenarios such as paying for groceries, transportation and rent. Students also learned the costs that go into paying for things such as entertainment on top of the costs of necessities. One of the booths had students spin a “Life is Unexpected” wheel, which could rule in a student’s favor (i.e. winning money) or deduct from their account (i.e. getting a flat tire).
During “check out,” students saw the final amount of income they had after their expenses were paid. They also received a paper with the “Ten Basic Rules of Money Management," which included the importance of planning, setting financial goals and paying bills on time.
Thank you to Visions Federal Credit Union, the Chenango Valley Guidance Department, and Broome-Tioga BOCES for continuing to make this informative event possible for our Chenango Valley students!