On Wednesday, February 26, 2020 the 7th grade took a field trip to the ‘Mall of Life’. The CareerTEC Mall of Life is a life skill simulation event focusing on financial literacy during which students actively take part in making real-world adult decisions. In preparing for experience the students learned about balancing a checkbook and budgeting in their math class. When they arrived in Freeport, Illinois at the Career & Technical Education Consortium they were given a piece of paper with their career of choice and the corresponding “salary” for one month minus any student loan amount for the career choice they made. They were told if they were “single” or “married” and “if they had children”. They had to find a house, car, doctors,and get insurance. They had to buy groceries, food, utilities and electronics, and they could also get a pet or go on vacation. The Mall of Life offers a glimpse into the realities of a career, salaries, and the obligations of daily life. Thank you Mrs. Harvey for sharing the photos!
