By WILL PERKINS
Glasgow News 1
Keylan Bailey, an eighth-grader at Caverna Middle School, got to experience what it was like to be a loan officer with two children.
During the Reality Store event Wednesday morning in the Caverna High School gym, students pretended to be 25-years-old and were randomly given a career with a pre-determined salary. Students then used that imaginary funding to pay for housing, utilities, insurance, groceries, clothing, transportation and other adult expenses, such as having children.
Bailey said he really enjoyed the experience and was very surprised to find out how much of a dent these expenses can make on a budget.
“It’s kind of cool,” he said. “How you have to control your money?”
Jaylynn Maxey, another eighth-grader, said her favorite part about this activity was getting to experience “how the real world will be whenever we get out there.”
Maxey, who was randomly assigned a career as a real estate agent with several children, said she was very surprised about the cost of some of the expenses, especially “groceries for kids and yourself.”
“I have four kids,” she said with a laugh. “I was very shocked.”
To help supplement her imaginary income, Maxey added a side job of “tutoring two kids at once.”
Paula Tarry, UK Extension Agent for 4-H Youth Development in Barren County, said this is a great activity for students to learn about the types of decisions their parents or guardians have to make on a regular basis.
“We think it’s very important that our youth know how to budget their finances,” Tarry said. “We want them to know how much their parents or guardians actually spend a month.
“Sometimes our parents or guardians say, ‘No, we can’t afford that.’ So we’re hoping, from this experience, that they will understand that they have to make their money last.”
Tarry added that the students get to figure out first-hand the “important things” and “necessities” as opposed to “what we want.”
Caverna’s Family Resource & Youth Services Center and 4-H presented this event which included volunteers from various businesses and organizations in Barren and Hart counties. Tarry said this activity would not be possible without their contributions.
Caverna’s Family Resource & Youth Services Center and 4-H hosted a Reality Store event for eighth- and tenth-graders on Wednesday in the Caverna High School gym. Will Perkins/Glasgow News 1
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