Getting instructions...

The bank:  car and home loans...

Working on the budget

Life Situation cards

Alex working on his budget...

Labrecia, Angela, Rachel and others hard at work.

Leonard at JA Finance Park

Golden, Arianna, Manhattan, and Unique working with Ms. Revell

Alex, Matt, Markus, and Mr. Saunders working on their monthly budgets...

Jennifer paying her bills...

Jenni, Josh, and volunteer paying bills...

Willie, and others paying bills...

Jackie and others working on the budget in the bank.

Kendra and Jessica working on their budget.

Niko and Anthony

Sarah, Cassandra, and Justin working on the budget...

Dominique, De'Sondra, and others enjoying lunch

Nate, Zane, Breauna, Robert, at lunch

Mr. Saunders and lunch

Marcus and others working on the budget.

Alexis,  Chelsea, and Mrs. Mathurin working on the budget...

AJ is finished--Mr. Zavitz assists.

A volunteer helps Roosevelt with his budget.

Matt, Alex, Josh, and Jenni working on their budgets...

Kim paying bills

Students received Life Situation cards, which told them whether they were married, had children, were young or old, and how much money they made a year.  From that point, students had to figure out a monthly budget and gather information on options regarding housing, transportation, electric, phone, water--and all the fun monthly bills that need to be paid.  Some students received lucky and unlucky cards that affected their budgets. Students then decided what kind of housing and car they'd select, whether they'd have two or three phone lines, how much water their household would use...and tried to live within their budgets.  Paying bills was the last activity.  There were many groans as students wondered if they could go bankrupt and still have what they wanted.    This was a very scary learning experience!

Chris and Alejandro working on their budgets...

Photos by Mrs. Searle; captions by Kendra Bowen and Mrs. Searle