Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Glenvar Middle School: Students make a trial run at life
Eighth-graders get to pick a career, get a paycheck and try to make ends meet.
JEANNA DUERSCHERL The Roanoke Times
Laura Stevens, representing Viriginia Western Community College, talks with Brittany Wright (middle) and Brooke Smith during The Reality Store.
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As a surgeon, Richard Goodwin was earning "big money," driving a new sports car and living the bachelor life in a lavish house -- until reality sank in and he learned one valuable lesson.
"You have to pay a lot of money just to live," he said.
Goodwin was one of about 140 Glenvar Middle School eighth-graders who participated in The Reality Store on Thursday. The all-day event, coordinated by the Salem-Roanoke County Chamber of Commerce and Virginia Western Community College, gave students an opportunity to choose a career and go through a series of life choices and events in order to get a glimpse of adult life.
The goal was to visit each of the 20 decision tables and have money left over at the end.
"It's awesome. I wish we could do it every year for them," said Kristen Moran, guidance coordinator at Glenvar.
Glenvar was chosen to pilot the program, with hopes of spreading it to other area schools in the near future.
Students started with an income based on the profession of their choice, had to pay taxes, repay college loans and give to charity. After satisfying these steps, they were free to navigate their future, making choices such as whether to buy or rent, whether to purchase health care and whether to get married and have children.
Volunteers with the Chamber of Commerce and representatives from industries such as insurance, health care and auto as well as employees of pet and grocery stores, utilities and salons, manned the tables where students made their decisions, often giving them advice.
In the end, the students learned that life is shaped by their decisions.
Olivia Lee said she had a "ton of fun" earning a salary of $40,000 as a zoologist. Olivia said she lived frugally, opting for a used car over a new one, keeping her well-being a priority, purchasing a health care plan and simply making wise decisions, which led to her ending up with more than $1,000 to spare.
"I learned how to manage money, not waste it all on something crazy," Olivia said.
When asked if she had any dependents, Olivia revealed why she was able to live such a comfortable lifestyle.
"Oh, I was single. I'm single living in Baltimore," she said.
Moran said the students got to put skills learned in civics and math classes to work while applying them to everyday life, and that will benefit them later on.
"All of these things are a part of life. And I'm glad they got to learn that when you get a $5,000 paycheck, it doesn't mean you have $5,000 in your pocket," she said.
