FAIRFAX, Va. – Dozens of students at Forest Park High School in nearby Woodbridge found themselves financially strapped last week during a financial simulation game called “Make It Real,” sponsored by Apple FCU.
Make It Real is similar to the board game “Life,” with each participant given a dossier detailing everything from his or her income to marital status and number of children. From this groundwork, students are required to make, in some cases difficult, decisions about life’s necessities – home, transportation, clothing and food – and exactly what they can afford.
The credit union’s game is formatted like a standard check register and each student’s booklet is topped with his or her monthly income. As they visit each of the required stations, the monthly cost of those expenses is deducted. Options are provided at each station, such as: choosing a new or used car or purchasing a pass for public transportation; renting or buying a home; and even buying new furniture versus shopping at a thrift store.
Twenty-two Apple employees across multiple departments participated in the program, acting both as facilitators and guides to the students’ budgeting journeys.
“I encountered many students who were simply unaware of the true expense of living,” says Robert Sowell, vice president of community relations for Apple FCU. “I witnessed countless light bulb moments when I could see understanding dawn in the eyes of a child as they navigated the exercise. Hopefully, we’ve not only provided them with a better understanding of what their parents go through, but a solid budgeting foundation for when those check registers are real and they have to keep them balanced.”
The next Make It Real event will take place at Freedom High School in nearby Woodbridge, Va. on April 15. Apple again will sponsor and provide support for the session.
