SHINNSTON, W.Va. (WBOY) — The West Virginia Department of Finance is visiting Harrison County schools for the first time to conduct a “Get a Life” personal finance simulation to give children an early taste of adult life. did.
In “Get a Life,” students are assigned a job with a certain paycheck and perhaps a living situation, including a spouse and children. They then figure out how to pay for their monthly rent, insurance, utilities, groceries, and medical bills, and take stock of their financial situation.
On Tuesday, students at Lincoln Middle School walked around the gymnasium and shopped for essential items. Each booth was manned by community volunteers working in the industries they represented.
Students were then forced to make decisions such as, “Should I rent an apartment near work to save on gas?” or “How many rooms do I need in my house?”
In other words, they tried to be parents for a day.
“I was working at the insurance table, and a student said, 'The insurance is paying!' The insurance is paying!' How many parents said the exact same thing? I said I don't know if there are any,” said Dr. Geraliden Beckett, County Liaison Specialist for the Harrison County Schools Career and Technical Education Program.
Other lessons were aimed at evoking stress from adulthood.
“I think they just want to say, “I did a great job and I learned something,'' or “This is really hard and stressful, too.'' 'It was stressful paying the bills and spending money all month long,''' said Beth Roberts, financial education specialist with the West Virginia Department of Finance.
Eighth grade student Jacob Holt advised students to spend their money wisely instead of “spending it on everything.”
The students said that while experiencing the stress of becoming an adult, the simulation also gave them confidence for the future.
