Carlsbad High School senior Jesus’s “future identity” was that of a construction site manager making $83,000 a year. Jesus, who participated in the CHS Virtual Enterprise program and plans to study Business Logistics in college, says, “Yes, that would be a good fit for me. I could raise a family.” Davina, another CHS student, had a “future identity” as a marketing account manager, making $3,400 per month. “Oh no, I have to rebudget. I spent too much!” she reports. Jesus and Davina are two of over 200 students in AVID (Advancement Through Individual Determination) programs from Carlsbad High School and Sage Creek High School, and Financial Algebra students from Carlsbad Village Academy who participated in the JA Finance Park program in March. AVID teachers Lauri Britton, Jeff Spanier, Rachel Newman, Aida Salah, and Linda Payne organized the experience which was generously funded by the Carlsbad Educational Foundation.
The students begin with classroom lessons on income, savings, investing, risk management, debit and credit cards, and budgeting. Then they attended an all-day field trip to the JA Finance Park. Arriving in the JA Situation Room, they are handed a tablet and assigned their new “future identity” age, family situation, salary, and job. JA staff provide an overview on how to build successful careers by getting the necessary education and training, and by developing the character, work ethic, and out-of-the-box thinking skills needed in every industry. Next, the students are turned loose in the simulation rooms to build a budget for their “future identity” by exploring and interacting with information stations for a multitude of real-life necessities such as housing, utilities, and insurance. They might buy a car, deal with unforeseen health costs, and pay educational expenses. At the end of the day, the students have a balanced spending plan in each of 19 categories so their expenses do not exceed their income.
Bob Daniel, one of several JA volunteers, is retired from a career in commercial real estate and Finance. He says, “I hope that even five students are affected by this experience. I ask students, ‘What surprised you? Are any of you going to take this information home and talk with your family about budgeting, or about your future, and choosing a college or career?’ I believe that these hands-on activities and virtual simulation experiences help students learn to make lifelong personal finance decisions.”
What did our CUSD students learn through their Junior Achievement experience? In the words of Carlsbad Village Academy students:
“You need to budget your money in order to survive!”
“I had a good job, so I was more flexible with my budget.”
“If you have a bad job you can’t afford much.”
“It doesn’t matter what you have, it’s how you use it.”
“Our field trip provided a new and refreshing learning experience.”
“I really enjoyed the opportunity to learn about finance in such a high tech environment.”
And from Sage Creek High School students:
“I feel more confident creating budgets now, and I have a better understanding of how they work.”
“I learned the value of insuring your items and why it might be better to pay more for better coverage.”
At JA Finance Park, students learn that their education and career choices will have a real impact on their true “future identities.” These are powerful life lessons ones that students will carry with them as they move on to college, careers, and adulthood.