"It costs that much for braces?"
Questions about the cost of health services and other necessities like food and insurance were common, and eye-opening, as Paducah Middle seventh graders participated in the Reality Store recently.
The event was sponsored by McCracken County 4-H and hosted by West Kentucky Community and Technical College.
McCracken County 4-H extension agents David Littlejohn and Robert Tashjian worked with students prior to the reality store, in addition to coordinating the event. Students were assigned, based on their grade point average, a career based on their education level. There are four education levels: dropout, high school graduate, technical graduate, or college graduate.
In addition to being assigned a career, students are also assigned children. They can be assigned anywhere from zero to three.
At the event, representatives from businesses and parent volunteers have different booths set up. Students are given their paycheck, after taxes, for one month. They then have to buy what they will need to live on for one month.
Seventh graders Alexis Ash, Will Smith, and Yasmine Martinez had their paychecks with them as they waited for the Reality Store to open. Alexis was a Deckhand with one child. Will was a Technical Writer with two children. Yasmine was a college professor with two children.
They talked about the pros and cons of renting or owning a house, and made plans to go to the bank and then pay for child care and utilities. "If people don't make smart choices they run out of money and have to go to the bank," said Martinez.
Smith planned to go to the bank, then pay for property taxes, insurance, food, and child care.
"The expenses students have to pay for are the typical things you would have to see in life as an adult," said Tashjian. "It gives students an opportunity to see first, the need for an education, second, the need to postpone any type of sexual activity so children come later in life, and third, a deeper appreciation for their parents."
Additional photographs.
