Junior Auxiliary of Columbus active members are excited to return to local high schools to present the popular “Reality Fair” project that gives students an idea of what to expect from life beyond high school. Recently revamped, Reality Fair is a mock budgeting exercise that emphasizes the importance of maintaining academic excellence and making smart fiscal choices.
Students are given hypothetical jobs, incomes and family situations at the door and, from there, visit seven stations requiring them to decide how to best manage their allotted income. The stations cover housing and insurance, utilities, transportation, groceries and gas, technology, the wheel of chance and the bank. The wheel of chance gives students the opportunity to experience potential windfalls and pitfalls on their journey, such as inheriting money or having a vehicle break down.
This project has been recently updated to better reflect our changing times, such as the changes to technological services, rising costs of insurances, and the price differences between regular and organic groceries. The goal is to show the connection between high school performance, career potential and lifestyle expectations.
For the first time in this project’s history, we will be partnering with Bankfirst to provide a comprehensive financial lesson on top of JA’s budgeting activities. We’ve learned that many of our high school students already work and could be taking significant steps to manage their finances from an early age. This will be an invaluable opportunity for students who may not have easy access to a financial advisor. We are excited to see the impact of this new partnership!
Reality Fair was recently presented at West Lowndes High School on Aug. 18. The following dates are upcoming:
● Sept. 19: New Hope High School, 8 a.m. to noon
● Oct. 17: Caledonia High School, 8 a.m. to noon
● Nov. 9: McKellar Technology Center, 8 a.m. to noon
For more information on Reality Fair and Junior Auxiliary, visit www.jacolumbus.org/realityfair.
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