Otselic Valley Central School District

As part of their financial literacy topic, seniors in Mrs. Osowski’s Senior Seminar class participated in “The Real World: Money Edition” simulation with Rebecca Hedlund from Sidney Federal Credit Union.
The goal of the simulation is to demonstrate the importance of budgeting and making wise choices using real world examples. Hedlund discussed the difference between gross income and net income then walked students through monthly expenses discussing options like housing, food, communication, transportation, and more as well as “unexpected expenses” like car repair, pet illness, or cellphone issues.
There were shouts of celebration and grumbles of discontent as students had to revise their budgets or make alternate plans due to unexpected events. At the end students reflected that they could make most any salary work but needed to make wise choices like increased savings, staying on top of credit, and accepting that "wants" are not always "needs".
Otselic Valley Central School would like to thank Hedlund and Sidney Federal Credit Union for offering this financial literacy experience to our students. Opportunities such as this are just one way we can ensure the future successes of our graduates.