8th grade students of Fegely Middle School, Nativity of Our Savior Catholic School, and Willowcreek Middle School gathered together today for The Reality Store, presented by Purdue North Central and the Greater Portage Chamber of Commerce in the Fegely gymnasium. This program informs students about the costs of living and securing financial stability as an adult.
Beforehand, each student was invited to fill out their own personal survey with information on their future career, family, and financial plans. Volunteers from the community were stationed in booths to help each child learn about living within their means and give valuable information personalized specifically to each student. Susan Brychell and Leslie Plesac, Community Relation and Events Directors for PNC, hosted this event as a team this morning and made it very special and welcoming for all involved.
“I am here to give back to the community and to help students realize the real expenses of childcare,” shared Natasha Goins, Childcare Center Director for the Portage YMCA. “It is important to give these students realistic expectations. They probably don’t realize all of the costs that go into raising children through young adulthood, and my goal is to give them a better idea of budgeting for expenses,” she stated.
Students waited in line to visit a wide variety of booths, some of which included insurance, bankruptcy, food, child care, and taxes. Volunteers from the Portage community led each booth, lining up with their personal career and experience.
“Running a check book and being able to manage your money is something that isn’t taught in high school, but is an important life lesson that needs to be taught. This is a great opportunity to teach those things,” said Thomas Fieffer, Fire Chief for the City of Portage and five year veteran volunteer of The Reality Store program. “The sooner that we get people to realize how important managing money is to them, the better. Children nowadays are preparing for adulthood and planning their careers in eighth or ninth grade, so you have to be prepared sooner. I think this is a great place to start.”
Students walked from table to table with smiles, excited to be heard and to share their plans.
“I think today’s event is important because if we do go on to pursue the career we each chose today, we know what it’s going to be like with all the financial deductions or unexpected events that may occur,” exclaimed Payton Schuster, an eighth grade student from Fegely who chose metallurgical engineering for her future plans. “I enjoyed today!” she said with a grin.
This program is a fantastic chance for students to think ahead. It shows them that their goals are very much attainable and achievable, and encourages them to not only dream big but to also be prepared for decision making along the way. Today, hundreds of children were able to put their dreams on paper and speak openly about them, furthering their ability to succeed in the real world. A big thank you to PNC, the Portage Chamber, and each volunteer involved for creating such a personal, informative, and successful event!