POTTSTOWN, Penn.--As part of the Pennsylvania Credit Union Foundation’s Financial Reality Fair initiative, Diamond Credit Union and Tri County Area Federal Credit Union joined forces to hold the first Fair in the Pottstown Area. During the Reality Fair, more than 150 high school students participated in this "hands on" budgeting experience to learn more about personal financial management in a one‐day "real world" environment. In preparation for the Reality Fair, Andrea Sawchuk, Diamond Credit Union Branch Manager, visited the classroom to help students choose an education level, career, and salary. Students were then provided with an in‐depth budgeting sheet, including their choices when they entered the Reality Fair. This “real world” exercise had each student budget his or her money wisely to make ends meet for one month. Students were required to find a place to live, obtain transportation, and pay for food and other essentials, as they visited 18 booths to obtain goods and services needed in everyday life. After visiting all of the booths, students balanced their budgets and reviewed their worksheet with a financial counselor.
“This event has been a great example of teamwork. We can’t thank the teachers, administrators, and students at Pottstown High School enough for welcoming us. Working with the Foundation and Tri County has been a great experience, and we can’t wait to see how much this event can grow in future years, “stated John Faust, President/CEO of Diamond Credit Union.