STRATFORD, Conn.–Students at Bunnell High School and Stratford High School recently took a glimpse into their future by attending a Financial Reality Fair sponsored by Sikorsky Credit Union. This is the eighth year that Sikorsky Credit Union has held a Reality Fair for students in Stratford.
The Financial Reality Fair gives students the opportunity to experience “real-life” finances based on their chosen profession. During the Reality Fair, students visit expense tables to spend their "hard earned money" on real-life choices, such as housing, transportation, food, and utilities. They are tempted along the way with nonessential expenses including pet ownership, electronics, concert tickets and vacations. Students also step up to spin the "Wheel of Reality," which increases or decreases their cash flow and simulates unexpected events and expenses that occur in day-to-day life. After they visit all of the expense tables, the students balance their budgets to see if they made the right choices to successfully live on their own. Finally, students meet with volunteer financial counselors to review how well they managed their budget. In the end, students walk away with an awareness of the financial challenges they will face and the experience of maintaining a lifestyle based on a budget.
“Working in the financial industry, I see what happens when people live beyond their means,’ mentioned Danielle Walton, Assistant Branch Manager at the Credit Union’s Stratford branch. ‘The Reality Fair gives students a chance to really think about how they spend money today will affect them tomorrow.” Diane Christiano, Coordinator of Career & Technology Education in Stratford added “Every year I continue to be amazed how many high school students have no idea what their parents spend and what it takes to run a household. For eight years now, Sikorsky Credit Union has partnered with us on the Reality Fair to help prepare students for this awakening as they transition from high school to college to the workforce.”
In addition to the two high schools in Stratford, Sikorsky Credit Union recently held Reality Fairs at high schools in Danbury, Oxford and Seymour. Later this month, a Financial Reality Fair is also planned at Ansonia High School.