By RONDA GRAFF

For the Gazette

McCook 8th graders got a dose of reality this week during the first “Reality Check” at the McCook Junior High. 

On Tuesday, the students were part of a hands-on experience to deal with personal finances, from making a budget to dealing with unexpected bills to choosing where to live. 

The inaugural event was organized by Caitlin Whitehead, who through her role as director of Prairie Plains Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), has seen how the lack of experience by young people about their finances can affect them their entire lives. 

“This event is necessary for the 8th-grade students to get an active, educational experience about financial choices as they move into the next chapter of their lives,” Whitehead said. “This event is precisely what we, as adults, say now: I wish I would have had something in school to teach me about money.”

The goal of the “Reality Check” was to provide a real-world experience where students gain a deeper understanding of the financial world they are entering. 

As the 8th graders entered the gym, they were assigned a job or career, ranging from working in a fast-food establishment to learning a skilled-trades job to becoming a doctor or a lawyer, all with corresponding salaries of a typical 25 year old. 

Throughout the gym, 16 stations were staffed with community volunteers based on their area of expertise from insurance to entertainment. 

At each station, the students had to made financial decisions. Some decisions could be made by the students such as the type of housing they wanted versus what they could afford. Other decisions were made for the students, including an unexpected car repair or an inheritance from a long-lost aunt. 

Some financial decisions were large, such as whether to have children, while others were smaller, such as choosing an adequate cellular phone plan. Regardless, all the decisions had an impact on the student’s financial spreadsheet. 

“It was so intriguing to see the kids think through some of these purchases,” Whitehead said. “You could tell that some of them had never thought about these decisions.”

If a student ran out of money mid-way through the process, they were directed to the S.O.S. booth to review budgeting decisions and possibly get a second job.

At the end of the day after all the “bills” were paid, the students with money left over received a KitKat candy bar, whereas those with no money left in the bank received a “Zero” candy bar. 

Whitehead said a little competition developed throughout the process as the students worked to who see who could have the most money left over.

Overall, the initial “Reality Check” event went well, Whitehead said. 

“The kids asked great questions about making big purchases, like buying a car or riding a bicycle; or owning a home versus living in an apartment,” she said. 

She added that McCook Schools was a great help in making this happen, offering up the entire gym to conduct the program. 

The McCook Community Foundation Fund provided a grant to cover the costs of supplies, recognizing how vital this knowledge is for young people. 

And many individuals as well as volunteers from the McCook Rotary Club, MNB Bank, the McCook Chamber and the McCook Economic Development Corp. gave their morning to empower these students to make the best financial decisions.

While the 2023 event just wrapped up, organizers are already planning for next year with some changes in mind.
“I would like to add more complex purchases, like why having assets helps financially in the long run,” Whitehead said. “For example, we had many kids pick the bike as transportation, which was great for their bottom line, and won them a candy bar. But some of them had families and were not thinking about how they would get their kids to school or get groceries home.”

Other ideas for next year include adding options such as a savings account, loans and consequently loan payments and letting the kids apply for the jobs they received, rather than randomly assigning a career. 

The hope is also to expand to other area schools as time, resources and volunteers allow.

In addition to Whitehead, the “Reality Check” project team included Nicole Peterson, Luke McGinley, Trina McPherson, Breanna Berry and Ron Wolff.