Students To Take Part In Financial Reality Fair At Stamford High School

STAMFORD, CT — Stamford Public Schools will hold its second annual Financial Reality Fair on Wednesday, May 6, from 9 a.m. to noon at Stamford High School.

Approximately 300 students from SHS, Westhill High School and the Academy of Information Technology and Engineering are scheduled to participate in the hands-on financial literacy program.

Presented in partnership with Members Credit Union, a not-for-profit financial cooperative, the fair is designed to have students navigate real-life financial decisions in a simulated environment.

Using an app called "A Bite of Reality," students are placed in a post-college scenario and assigned a career, salary and credit score.

Participants are given a budget and visit interactive booths representing expenses such as housing, transportation, food, clothing, technology and self-care, making financial trade-offs intended to reflect real-world decision-making.

"The Financial Reality Fair is a great opportunity to further discuss budgeting and financial decision-making in the classroom as personal finance course mandates take effect. Stamford is absolutely delighted to host this event for the second year in a row, and we look forward to seeing our students rise to the challenge of managing their financial futures," said Dorothea Mackey, business department leader.

The event comes as personal finance education gains traction at the high school level across Connecticut and the country.