14 • The Beacon May 13 , 2021

By Marianne Austin

Emily Marrison from the OSU Extension Office recently taught students from the Coshocton Career Center about “ Real Money Real World .” This is an interactive spending simulation designed to teach students how to manage money in the real world .

The career center selects students to be part of this program . In years past it has been part of their employability class .

“ This year I have mostly junior students . It ’ s up to the school which students take the program ,” Marrison said . “ On Monday we chose a career for them , and they found out what their annual salary would be . We started going through

Youth job applications available

May 3-28 , 2021 at OHIOMEANSJOBS – COSHOCTON COUNTY ( Located in the lower level of Coshocton Job and Family Services ) 725 Pine Street , Coshocton , Ohio 43812

TIMES AVAILABLE : Monday-Friday 8:00am-3:30pm This summer work program is income-based and is first come , first serve . For participants between 16 and 24 years of age . If the youth is under the age of 18 , a parent must sign the job application .

Questions about Coshocton Youth Workforce should be directed to : Diana McKee ( 740 ) 295-7573

** Brought to you by Coshocton County Job and Family Services **

BF-00513433 the deductions that would come out of their paycheck . We talked about savings , and they took some savings out as well and came up with their net income , and we talked about the difference between net and gross income .

“( Then ) they find out their net income for the month . After we explain the program , it ’ s ‘ OK , now go pay your bills .’ We provide pencils , calculators and three days of worksheets . They will go to 8 different tables set up in the cafeteria and find out what they will be spending . People from the community volunteer at each station . For example they learn you can ’ t buy insurance until you at least have a house or a car .”

According to Marrison , students visit the tables and pay for everything from housing , food , clothing , transportation , emergencies , entertainment and childcare . They all have children and are age 27 at this point . So they ’ re 27 and married with kids — and this is what the real world is like . Students draw from a bag to see how many children they have . They will have to consider the size of their family and may

Marianne Austin

In the recent “ Real Money – Real World ” project at Coshocton Career Center , student Holden Arnold had a ‘ real-life experience .’ “ I found out I was an electrician and had two children , I thought that was pretty good ,” he said . “ When I got to food costs and vehicle costs it really caught me off guard .”

have to see about childcare . They get to choose their education level . If it ’ s high school only , they can choose from jobs like retail or sales , or they can go on to get an associate or bachelor ’ s degree .

They experience what the real world is like , and they may come to a place

where they find out the refrigerator is broken and what they will have to do . For some of them who chose a career where they need an education , they will visit a banker and find out they have to pay back student loans . They may find out they have $ 4,000 a month , but after taxes and

expenses , they only have $ 2,800 .

“ We try to make it as fun as possible but give them a taste of what money is like in the real world ,” Marrison said .

Lisa Akers , the director of Coshocton Cares , whose main office is at the career center , is one of the advisors . Coshocton Cares is a nonprofit organization that provides college and career planning and exploratory opportunities for all Coshocton County students at Riverview , Ridgewood and Coshocton high schools , as well as homeschooled students .

“’ Real Money Real World ’ is one of the services that we provide ,” Akers said . “ This is one of the programs we provide for our kids where we were able to partner with Emily Marrison at OSU Extension . Many teachers felt that this would be a vital service . We have learned a lot about income , financing , and I have learned a lot this week by sitting in on Emily ’ s presentation .”

Coshocton Cares offers FAFSA assistance for students and parents with finan-

See STUDENTS Page 15