Life experience was on sale this week at Martino Junior High School in New Lenox.
As part of the school’s Career Day, 8th graders armed with imaginary paychecks and a shopping list of necessities swarmed into a Reality Store set up in the gym.
The Reality Store gives students a chance to make lifestyle choices and see their effects on a budget, counselor Veronica Zalewski said.
“The kids have had a lot of preparation,” she said. In the days preceding Career Day, youngsters researched jobs and salaries, she said. “The kids have to make choices. If they blow all their money on clothes, they might not have enough for groceries.”
For the less-than-fiscally-prudent, the event included a financial adviser to help get the budget back in the black.
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And a “Wheel of Fortune” represented the effects of pure chance. Spinning the wheel could leave the youngsters in debt, paying off parking tickets or coping with job loss, or bring in windfalls, such as a winning lottery ticket.
The Big Brothers Big Sisters of Will and Grundy Counties and students and teachers from the Lincoln-Way High School Tech Prep program worked with the Martino staff to put the event together, Zalewski said.
Beth Hobby, director of the Big Brothers Big Sisters, said the Reality Store concept was developed 15 years ago by the Business and Professional Women’s Club.
“We adapted it to fit our needs here,” Hobby said. “This was just kind of a natural outgrowth (of mentoring activities).”
With choices ranging from frugal to extravagant, there were plenty of chances to prosper or go broke.
Jeremy Gutkowski, 14, was facing the latter alternative.
“I’ve got 18 bucks, and I need to buy some clothes,” said Jeremy, whose house payment had used up a lot of his sports trainer’s salary. “I’m going to go back and get something else (to live in).”
Having chosen a more lucrative career in dentistry, Jill Melke, 14, had money to spare. “I’ve got $800.”
Roxanne Bowman, 14, was willing to sacrifice for a spiffy vehicle. “I got a sports car and it’s sweet,” she said.
Adam Nigro, 14, wasn’t worried about his finances. “I’ll just win the lottery,” he said.
Many youngsters made prudent choices, according to Ryan Martinez, a 16-year-old Lincoln-Way High School student who helped at the housing table. “It’s mostly apartments or condos the kids rent.”
“A lot of the kids picked modest (clothing purchases),” said Lauri Fischer, a social worker with Big Brothers Big Sisters.