HELENA, Mont.– Montana's Credit Unions (MCU) were out in full force in April, giving high school students across the state a taste of reality by hosting Reality Fairs to celebrate Financial Literacy month.
The Realty Fairs are an interactive experience where students are given a life scenario and a monthly salary, dependent on their hypothetical career field, that they must use to pay for housing, utilities, transportation, groceries, entertainment, and a few other surprises along the way. Students visit different booths to get information on expenses and budget parameters based on the scenario they’ve been given, all leading up to their “reality check” at the end of the event.
In Montana:
- Over 500 local students participated in seven Reality Fairs in Billings, Hamilton, Highwood, Missoula, Butte, and Helena.
- The fairs were held by volunteers from 15 credit unions around Montana.
The Superintendent of Highwood School, Jane Suberg, expressed her appreciation for bringing the Reality Fair to her school, saying, “Our students thought it was a fabulous experience and said it really opened their eyes to REALITY. It was evident how much planning and preparation went into pulling it all together.... We'd be happy to host again in the future." The teachers, principal and superintendent of Billings Schools were so pleased with the event that Billings Senior HS has made a reality fair part of next year’s business class curriculum.