Students Test Their Budgeting Knowledge In Preparation for Life After High School
Trinity High School partnered with CHROME Federal Credit Union to host a Financial Reality Fair on Wednesday, October 16 for 265 students in 11th grade. This event aims to provide hands-on budgeting and personal finance experience, equipping students with the skills needed to navigate their financial futures confidently.
Participants receive a monthly salary based on their chosen career path, a budgeting worksheet assignment, and are set loose in the school gym. Their mission is to visit 16 booths representing various essential expenses like housing, transportation, cell phones, groceries, and entertainment, then finish with a spin of the wheel of reality and a visit to a financial counselor. This interactive setup allows students to make choices that directly affect their financial well-being, fostering a deeper understanding of smart money management in a fun and engaging way.
“Our goal is to teach the basics, like budgeting, credit score, and loans, and then better equip the students with the financial wherewithal for their first job after high school or college. They will know what expenses and smart financial choices look like in a healthy budget and hopefully help them avoid the pitfalls that many face in early adulthood.”
-Bob Flanyak, President & CEO of CHROME Federal Credit Union
The forty-plus wonderful volunteers representing their industries like Britney Hollick, State Farm Agent at the insurance booth, and Ester Barnes from Southwest Training Services at the Part-Time Jobs booth, help to make the conversations even more real. They guide the students and give them a glimpse of what their budget and decision-making process could look like when the time comes to provide for themselves and incorporate their individual wants and needs into a budget. Additionally, having many volunteers from various credit union roles ensures the students are not alone when they start crunching the numbers before turning in their assignment. If they find they are outside their monthly budget, the volunteers help assess the budget and send them back to the booths to make necessary changes such as adding a part-time job or downsizing their vehicle or home choices.
“This activity is primarily about the student’s future budget responsibility and teaching them how to be accountable for their money and income.”
-Zachary Zebrasky, Principal, Trinity High School
The activity has evolved to more than a one-day event. Before the event, students were tasked with a career questionnaire that required starting salary research and a budgeting and financial basics prep class taught by CHROME FCU. Following the Financial Reality Fair, Trinity will continue the conversation with the students in their Economics class. As high school prepares students for their future through academics and career programs, Trinity High School realizes to prepare students for their best future possible, financial wellness plays a role. Finances are a lifelong learning process, and Trinity High School is helping its students take the steps necessary to build a successful future.
“It is important to create opportunities for our young community members to understand finances before they go into the world and address it in real-time. All students deserve the opportunity to thrive, financial wellness programs make that possible.”
-Jasmine M. Hughes, AVP, Marketing & Community Relations, CHROME Federal Credit Union
For more information about the event or to inquire about financial wellness activities and programs, please contact Jasmine Hughes at marketing@chromefcu.org.
Thank you to the community volunteers who helped make this event possible:
CHROME FCU employees, Britney Hollick- State Farm Agent, Washington Area Federal Credit Union, Washington & Jefferson College, Range Resources Corporation, Downtown Washington PA - Washington Business District Authority, Southwest Training Services, Inc., Blueprints, Frick Financial Federal Credit Union, Washington County Chamber of Commerce, Valley 1st FCU, and Ignite Business Incubator and Co-working Space.