Reality 101 event hosts over 200 graduating seniors from area schools
Veterans Memorial Hospital sponsored Reality 101, which was held at the Waukon High School for all area schools April 6. Over 200 Kee, Postville, MFL/MarMac and Waukon High School graduating seniors were able to attend. Over 80 individuals and businesses volunteered their time to create a real life financial scenario for all of these students preparing for graduation. The students were required to visit each of the 30 stations to open a bank account, pay their taxes, purchase an automobile and insurance, pay for daycare, groceries, a home, household supplies, vet expenses, health and life insurance, and still have a balance of $0 to $200 in their checking account. Pictured below are students from Waukon High School (left photo) and Kee High School (right photo) making their way through the Reality 101 process. Submitted photos.
Over 200 graduating Seniors from Postville, Kee, MFL/MarMac and Waukon High Schools attended Reality 101 at the Waukon High School Wednesday, April 6. Over 80 individuals and businesses volunteered their time to create a real life financial scenario for all of these students preparing for graduation.
Each student chose a career and researched monthly income based on average northeast Iowa wages in the classroom setting prior to the activity. The day of Reality 101, the students were provided with a life scenario which may include a spouse, children and possibly even child support situations including information provided on their chosen career and college plans.
The students were then required to visit each of the 30 stations to open a bank account, pay their taxes, purchase an automobile and insurance, pay for daycare, groceries, household supplies, vet expenses, health and life insurance, etc. They were also visited by a roaming officer who issued many tickets for traffic violations, and a roaming nurse who had to charge full price for medical services to any students who had not elected to purchase health insurance. In addition, the students were also dealt fate cards that caused them even more out-of-pocket expenses due to fictitious scenarios such as broken water pipes or vehicle repair - all things that can and do unexpectedly happen in real life.
The students had to balance their checkbooks and prove they had a positive balance in order to exit the event. Those with a negative balance had to visit the “SOS” table and brainstorm ways to get themselves out of debt.
"The thing that was resounding with me is that the Reality 101 veteran volunteers are who have created such a smooth flow for the day,” states event coordinator Cheryl Livingston. “Those volunteers that return every year, most working the same table, take ownership of that and make it great. Everyone functions well independently and makes the program exceptional for all the students involved.”
Many of the businesses helping with the event go to the work of providing real-life costs of their products and services ahead of time so these students can “purchase” items at today’s prices, relevant to other purchases students made through the day. For example, utility prices were specific to the Housing selections available, making the event as realistic as possible.
Participating businesses and organizations this year included the following: R.W. Pladsen, Torkelson’s of Waukon, Cook Insurance Agency, Fidelity Bank and Trust, Freedom Bank, Waukon State Bank, Farmers and Merchants Savings Bank, Kerndt Brothers Bank, Glenwood Lutheran Church, Growing Bear Daycare, Waukon Lion’s Club, TASC, Sweeney Real Estate, Farm Bureau Insurance, Edward Jones, Waukon Wellness Center, Black Hills Energy, Allamakee-Clayton Electric Cooperative, Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC), Waukon Police Department, Iowa Workforce Development, Alliant Energy, Waukon Harley Davidson, Allamakee County Auditor’s Office, Allamakee County Recorder’s Office, Iowa and Allamakee County Courts, Allamakee Community School District and many Veterans Memorial Hospital Auxiliary, Foundation, greeters and staff volunteers.
This event is sponsored by Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon. The Allamakee Community School District graciously allows the event for all of these area schools to be held in its high school gymnasium each year, with assistance from Waukon High School Guidance Counselor Amy Wasson, Waukon High School secretaries Liz Hanson and Erin Plein, and the school’s janitorial staff.
For more information on Reality 101 or to volunteer to be involved in next year’s event, call Veterans Memorial Hospital at 563-568-3411.
