"Reality 101" event hosts nearly 200 graduating seniors from area schools

Nearly 200 graduating seniors from Postville, Kee, MFL/MarMac and Waukon high schools attended “Reality 101” at the Waukon High School Wednesday, April 9. 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 the information they provided on their chosen career and college plans.
The students were then required to visit each of the 30 Reality 101 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, they were also dealt fate cards that caused them even additional 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.
“I was very impressed with the number of students commenting and discussing costs of goods or services that were more expensive than they expected," stated Cheryl Livingston, EMT-P at Veterans Memorial Hospital, who is the Reality 101 Event Coordinator. “Even the most apprehensive students finished Reality 101 having learned many life lessons, unintentionally. This alone is an awesome sense of accomplishment for all the dedicated volunteers willing to facilitate Reality 101.”

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, New Albin Savings Bank, Glenwood Lutheran Church, Growing Bear Daycare, Waukon Lion’s Club, TASC, Sweeney Real Estate, Farm Bureau Insurance, Kitchen Krafts, Edward Jones, Waukon Wellness Center, Black Hills Energy, Allamakee-Clayton Electric Cooperative, Shopko, Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC), Waukon Police Department, Iowa Workforce Development, Waukon Harley Davidson, Allamakee/Waukon Economic Development, Allamakee County Auditor’s Office, Allamakee County Recorder’s Office, Allamakee County Treasurer’s Office, Iowa and Allamakee County Courts, Allamakee Community School District and many Veterans Memorial Hospital volunteer Auxiliary and Foundation members and greeters, as well as staff volunteers.
The event was sponsored this year by Veterans Memorial Hospital of Waukon. Allamakee Community Schools graciously allows the event for all of these area schools to be held in their high school gymnasium each year, with assistance from Waukon High School Guidance Counselor Amy Wasson, Waukon High School Secretaries Jess Keenan and Liz Hanson, 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.