What Is Reality Check? an Experience to Help Students Become Aware of Basic Skills in Financial Planning, Goal Setting, Decisio

What Is Reality Check? An experience to help students become aware of basic skills in financial planning, goal setting, decision making, and career planning by making realistic educational choices.

Students will quickly realize life is not just a game, but an adventure for which they should prepare!

For: Freshmen Students in the Mid-America Technology Center School District

When: September 16th, 17th, 18th, and 19th

Time: 8:45, 9:00, 9:15 or 9:30 am (One afternoon may be available for any schools that need it)

Where: Mid-America Technology Center, Wayne, Ok

To Attend: Contact Christi Potter Mid-America Technology Center [email protected]

Reality Check Fact Sheet

Purpose: The goals of Reality Check are:

 To give students a glimpse of their future in fun and exciting ways.  To help all students become aware of basic skills in financial planning, goal setting, decision making and career planning as directed in the Oklahoma State Department of Education Passport to Financial Education.

Need: Between the ages of 14 and 20, young men and women make critical decisions that affect the course of their whole lives; decisions about educational paths, career options, lifetime mates and family living. They should make these critical decisions with knowledge of the realities and options for their futures.

Answer: At Reality Check, students will be given a random occupation, along with a salary amount that is based on the average monthly pay in that occupation. The students will then go into a Reality Check where they will spend their salary on the necessities and luxuries they envision as part of the adult lifestyle. Students will also have the opportunity to visit the chance booth to pull out a “Chance” card. These are those unexpected items that affect their life daily. If students find themselves in real financial trouble, they can find help at the SOS table.

Representatives from the housing industry, utilities, grocery stores, department stores, financial institutions, auto dealerships, medical profession, child care centers, travel and entertainment, etc., will be present at Reality Check to help students determine how much of their income will need to be spent in each category in order to provide them with their desired lifestyle. The goal of this exercise is to help students learn whether their occupation will provide the type of lifestyle they want. After their trip through the Reality Check, students will have a greater knowledge of what type of career they would like to have as an adult and to set goals to achieve that career.