Real Life Academy unites real world, high school

Volunteers help students understand personal finance, money management

By: Caitlin Heidbrink

Posted: 4/14/08

Imagine jumping into a life-size version of the board game Life. Launching into a career, getting married, having kids and making important life decisions - all with fake money - in less than a day. While this may seem like just a clever idea, it is a real event.

On April 3, high school students experimented with realistic life situations in a program called Real Life Academy. This event runs through the Eau Claire Chamber of Commerce and the Eau Claire School District each spring and fall. Currently, Altoona, Fall Creek, Eau Claire North, Memorial and Regis high schools are involved in the action, said Katy Kiley, special projects director for the Chamber of Commerce.

Students are given a check book with one months salary for a career of their choice, Kiley said. They are also given a random life status, which tells if they are single, married or have children. She said they travel to thirty different stations where they must make financial decisions regarding a car, home, groceries, cable television and a myriad of other life considerations.

To prepare Real Life Academy, students go through a financial curriculum in the classroom to understand personal finance and money management skills. They also research what career they would like and learn what their salary would be if they stayed in the Chippewa Valley, Kiley said.

The program runs through a committee that includes local teachers. Approximately 250-300 students go through each session of Real Life Academy. They are mainly comprised of business and finance classes, but have expanded to include a larger variety of students, she said.

While most stations at the event are sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce, there are always some that need volunteers, Kiley said. University students volunteer each spring and fall to run a station. Kiley said the stations are easy to execute and students don't need to have any specific major.

Recruiting volunteers for this fall will begin in October. Students can contact Kiley to get involved.

La Crosse pioneered the idea and offered Eau Claire the materials to run the event, Kiley said. Eau Claire North and Regis high schools were the first to take on Real Life Academy in 2004, she said, and has gained popularity ever since.

Kelly Ostrander, Altoona business education teacher, has seen Real Life Academy grow in popularity within her own school. Next fall there will be six sections of students participating compared to the one section this spring, she said.

In addition, schools across the state have contacted Real Life Academy asking to visit Eau Claire because they're interested in the program, Kiley said.

Students can use the experience from Real Life Academy to prepare for college and think about their possible career early, Ostrander said.

"It's about organizing and budgeting and knowing you have to pay back student loans and watching your credit," she said. "Or realizing 'I really want this career but I can't make a living off of it because I want a fancier car.'"

Ostrander said there are a few frustrations for the students. Finding out their career of choice does not support the lifestyle they want or not having enough time to get through the stations were typical remarks, she said.

Kiley and Ostrander said they have also received lots of positive feedback. Real Life Academy was presented to the Eau Claire school district and they were "really impressed," Kiley said. In addition, she said it was eye opening for students and helps to strengthen their money management skills.

"One student said she thought it was going to be 'so lame,'" Ostrander said, "but ended up thinking it was wonderful."