The Coshocton County Beacon November 27, 2019 | Page 32
Beth Scott | Beacon
Beccy Porteus was one of the volunteers at Real Money, Real World simulation at
Coshocton High School on Thursday, Nov. 21. She explained how credit card payments
work to the students.
Beth Scott | Beacon
Sophomores learn about housing options at the Real Money, Real World simulation
hosted by OSU Extension at the Coshocton High School on Thursday, Nov. 21.
Sophomores experience real life situations in
OSU Extension’s Real Money, Real World simulation
By Beth Scott
[email protected]
COSHOCTON – Sophomores at Coshocton High School
experienced real-life situations during OSU Extension’s
Real Money, Real World simulation during the week of
Nov. 18. On Thursday, Nov. 21, students were able to visit
different stations set up in the gymnasium where they
had to buy a home, car, insurance, pay utility bills, pay
for childcare, buy groceries, and many other things.
“Our objective is that they understand the factors that
are related to potential income,” said Emily Marrison,
family and consumer science educator at OSU Exten-
sion. “There’s the importance of education, they need
to do something they love doing, but in doing so, if they
have a lower income, they may have tough choices. The
income you make as an adult may affect your choices.”
Real Money, Real World replaced the sophomore’s
government classes for that week. For four days, they
were in the classroom choosing a job, establishing a
salary, and creating a budget. On Thursday, that all cul-
minated into paying the bills and some of the students
received a reality check.
Community members were advisors at each station that
explained to the students their options when purchasing a
home, a car, insurance, or financing at the bank.
“I think it’s important for the kids to see how the com-
munity cares how they manage their money because it
impacts the community when they manage their money
well,” said Marrison.
Art Saylor from SWS Solutions was at a financial
advice station where students came when they were
running low on money to ask what they could do to save
more money.
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“I just point them in a direction they need to go, but it’s
a reality check for them,” said Saylor. “This is fun, but it’s
also a reality check.”
One station for the students was a game of chance. It
involved choosing a card and living with that choice,
whether you received money as a gift from someone, or
had a car accident and had to pay more money.
“I think it’s important for the
kids to see how the community
cares how they manage their
money because it impacts the
community when they manage
their money well.”
- Emily Marrison
family and consumer science educator
at OSU Extension
“This is the best one because if they have cash or not,
you take a chance,” said Ann Leppla. “They’re really
things that could happen to you in real life. The favorite
one is the one where your Aunt Ethel dies and leaves you
$3,000. If they have money at the end, they come back
here because they like to play the game.”
However, the biggest surprise of the day was how
much childcare costs.
“Children are expensive,” said Kennedy Kittell, sopho-
more at CHS. “Actually, everything is expensive.”
Olivia Blust, sophomore at CHS, agreed.
“I was surprised by how much childcare was,” she
said. “But I learned a lot from it.”
Marrison said that childcare expense is the biggest
surprise for most students.
“We’ve been doing this for six years, and when it’s all
over, I always ask them what was the most surprising to
them, and almost all of them say the cost of childcare,”
said Marrison.
Michelle Turner-Ganz volunteered at the childcare
station and said that it is a shock to most students how
much childcare costs.
“I think it’s been a real eye-opener,” she said. “Some
kids are funny, and they say they’re not having kids for
a long time, but I think this whole exercise makes them
experience things in a whole new way. When Emily
spoke to us about this project, I thought it was a great
idea for the kids.”
This was John Leppla’s first year volunteering for the
program.
“It’s fun,” he said. “The kids are eager, and they are
really starting to think. It’s tough, though. They have to
balance everything out at the end.”
Students had 40 minutes to complete their worksheet
and visit each station. At the end, some were able to
reflect a little on what they had learned.
“Utilities was a little more expensive than I thought it
would be,” said Joe Abel. “Get a good job so you can pay
your bills.”
Keeley Murray said she also learned a lot through the
simulation.
“I learned how not to spend too much on something
you don’t need,” she said. “It (the program) was very
helpful.”
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NOVEMBER 27, 2019