THE EDMONSON VOICE
  • Home
  • News
  • Community
    • VOICE Calendar >
      • About VOICE Calendar
    • County Schools Calendar
  • Obits
  • Sports
    • WildcatsLive/Schedules
    • Recorded Game Videos
  • Weather
  • Features
    • Recipe Of The Week
    • Opinion
    • Ask Mongoose
    • Arts/Entertainment
    • Legal/Professional Policy
    • Our Staff
    • Contest Rules
    • Our Sponsors
  • FAQs
Picture
Picture
Picture
Edmonson County's Number One Source For Local News and Information

'Reality Store' Gives 8th Graders Dose Of Reality, Teaches Real-Life Situations, Budgets

3/9/2016

0 Comments

 
Picture
ECMS Principal Brandon Prunty enjoys a moment with two students.
Darren Doyle, story and photos
Eighth graders at the Edmonson County Middle School got a reality check today at the school's annual "Reality Store," hosted by ECMS, the Family Resource/Youth Service Centers, Community Education, and the county Extension Agent. 

The program, which has been running in the county for the last 15 years, teaches students what it's like to follow a family budget. Each student is presented their "situation," which randomly lists their yearly salary, monthly income, and family status. The students then visit different booths at the "store" where they have to pay taxes, purchase housing, transportation, insurance, healthcare, childcare, and more. 

ECMS Principal Brandon Prunty smiled as he described how surprised most students are when they are making family budget decisions. "Most kids don't understand what money comes in and then how much has to go out," he said. "This helps open their eyes and shows them that it takes a lot of money to live. It reminds them the importance of education to help them get good jobs and careers."

​David Embrey, County Extension Agent For A&R with 4-H Responsibilities, said it gives the students a real, hand-on experience for what things are like in the real world. "It has a real impact," he said. "I heard one girl say she was going to go home and apologize to her mother because she didn't realize things were so expensive."

Lisa Whobery, Community Education Director, said the real life situations are the reasons they focus so much on education. She said many students "ran out of money" in their purchases, and weren't able to make ends meet. "This is why we stress doing well in school, going on to college and securing those good paying jobs, so that when they are in these positions in real life, they'll have the money they need."
Whobrey said that everyone participating in the event were volunteers. Local businesses and entities were set up at 18 different booths, with over 30 volunteers helping out. 

Embrey agreed that there's more to school than just the subjects and the grades. "Of course those things are important, but programs like this help students learn what to do with that knowledge after they learn it," he said.

Upon arrival of the "Reality Store," students first had to visit "Uncle Sam," in order to pay taxes. After that, they set up a "checking account" and made their way around the different booths to make their 'real life' purchases. If a student ran out of money, they had to make their way to a special services booth that offered assistance with clothing, food, etc. 

The plan was for students to be able to make their necessary purchases and still have money left, and to be happy with the quality of those purchases. 

Principal Prunty was seen talking to different students, looking over their finances and checking on their statuses. All students seemed to be enjoying the scenarios, and each kid seemed to be engaged in all the booths. "We're trying to put these kids in situations where they think about where they'll end up down the road," Prunty said. 
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    COMMENTING/LEGAL
    Deadline INFO
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    Archives

    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO
HOME
NEWS 
COMMUNITY


OBITS
FEATURES
WEATHER
​​
WILDCATS LIVE
​
SPORTS
CONTACT
copyright 2014-2022 The Edmonson Voice.
Call or text: 270-597-6550 ​editor@edmonsonvoice.com
PO BOX 94
BROWNSVILLE, KY 42210
CLICK HERE FOR DEADLINE INFO
  • Home
  • News
  • Community
    • VOICE Calendar >
      • About VOICE Calendar
    • County Schools Calendar
  • Obits
  • Sports
    • WildcatsLive/Schedules
    • Recorded Game Videos
  • Weather
  • Features
    • Recipe Of The Week
    • Opinion
    • Ask Mongoose
    • Arts/Entertainment
    • Legal/Professional Policy
    • Our Staff
    • Contest Rules
    • Our Sponsors
  • FAQs