Reality Store with the Eighth Grade

Each year we take our eighth grade students to the Reality Store.  This is an event sponsored by the Frankfort Chamber of Commerce and area businesses and individuals.  Students are assigned an occupation based on their GPA, an annual and monthly salary and number of children (which is based on their attendance and tardies). 

Once there, they have to report to Uncle Sam and pay taxes first!  They then work their way through about 20 different stations to arrange housing, insurance, transportation, child care, groceries, furniture, and more.  They have opportunities to sign up for supplemental income by enlisting in the National Guard and/or part-time jobs with Walmart or Kroger.  I always enjoy when the National Guard representative puts them through drills and calisthenics!

Each year I enjoy going with the students and hearing their conversations and reactions to this experience.  One student came up to me at the end and said, "Mrs. Tigges, if I didn't have any kids, I would have a lot of money!" and another student said, "How do my parents do this?". 

I appreciate the work that our local Chamber of Commerce does to put this together.  It is a valuable experience for students as they navigate what it means to pay your bills and have a set amount of money to work with to manage.  They make them talk about savings, insurance, and more. 

These type of activities are so important for our students as they continue to connect their choices to life consequences!