The University of Toledo welcomed approximately 500 local high school students to participate in an interactive game designed to teach them about financial literacy on Thursday, Oct. 3.
Finances 101, developed by the Northwest Ohio Credit Union Alliance, presents students with real-world financial scenarios as a means of preparing them for the responsibilities they’ll face in college and beyond. As they built a budget and navigated a life-sized game board that simulates expected expenses like mortgages and income tax as well as surprises like emergency room stints or winning lottery tickets, they learned what it costs to run a household, how earnings impact lifestyle and why it’s important to make sound financial decisions.
Craig Turner, program manager for the Business Career Programs Office in the John B. and Lillian E. Neff College of Business and Innovation, spins a wheel to simulate unexpected expenses financial during Finances 101, an interactive game designed to teach local high school students about financial literacy.
Finances 101 was presented by UToledo’s Special Accounts and Financial Wellness Office, in partnership with the Northwest Ohio Credit Union Alliance.
“Financial literacy is a crucial skill, especially for students nearing a new level of independence as they approach high school graduation,” said Mollee Williamson, a financial wellness counselor at UToledo. “Finances 101 provides an engaging and fun way to grasp these concepts, while also introducing students to a college campus visit and the resources available at The University of Toledo. We are grateful for the chance to provide this valuable resource to local area high schools and hope that students leave the event feeling inspired and better prepared to manage and understand their personal finances and future.”
Students from more than a half-dozen high schools participated in several sessions from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Each session encompasses informative presentations, the interactive game and campus tours.
UToledo’s Financial Wellness Office offers a variety of presentations, workshops and one-on-one counseling to equip UToledo students with the tools and confidence to navigate college expenses and pursue their career paths with financial stability.
Its financial counselors are also available for community and classroom presentations. For more information, go to the Financial Wellness Office website.
Finances 101 is presented several times each year throughout northwest Ohio.
