One of the most difficult lessons for a high school graduate entering the real world is learning to handle personal finances.
Credit unions in northwest Ohio are partnering with The University of Toledo College of Business and Innovation and the Office of Ohio Treasurer of State Josh Mandel to help set young people on the right financial path with a life-sized interactive game full of life lessons through “Finances 101: Walk the Walk, Talk the Talk.”
More than 200 high school students from nine northwest Ohio schools are expected to participate in the event that will take place Wednesday, April 10, from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Student Union.
The student’s life experience will include:
• A salary-based job;
• The opportunity to have children, purchase a home and car, acquire insurance, and pay utilities and other bills;
• Managing bills and money; and
• Uncertainties, including unexpected expenses.
Participating schools will be Clay, Fairview, Genoa, Northwood, Notre Dame Academy, Otsego, Springfield, Swanton and Toledo Early College High School.
“Ohio high school students should graduate equipped not just with a degree, but also with real-world financial skills so that they can make smart money choices for their future. By teaching young Ohioans about financial literacy, we can help prepare them to live, work, prosper and raise families in our great state,” Mandel said. “The Finances 101 program offers young Ohioans critical money management tools to help them avoid financial pitfalls, make smart decisions, and develop good personal finance habits that will benefit them for the rest of their lives.”
By completing this session, students will learn about how earnings impact buying decisions, what it costs to run a household, and how to prevent spending beyond their means.
Students across Ohio and the nation can experience these same situations through the online version at Finances101theGame.org. Participation in either version is free to students and schools.
