According to eighth-grader Daniel Jacobs, students gained a sense of the financial future they could face in adulthood. “I like the fact that we were presented with this financial reality at a young age to better prepare us for the future.”

There were several contributors that made the Reality Store a reality. The Chamber of Commerce, Kentucky River Foothills Youth Investment Project, Madison County financial businesses such as Central Bank and Berea College’s GEAR UP Partnership all had a hand in the event. Nadia Karkenny, GEAR UP College Preparation Assistant said, “As adults, some people waste a lot of money because they don’t know how to save. This Reality Store is a great financial resource that gives these students guidance.”

The bank booth was the students’ first stop. There they picked up a pamphlet that explained that they were now 28-years-old, married and needed to provide for a family with between one and six children. Each student was then given a randomly assigned grade point average. The GPAs corresponded to jobs on the Reality Store chart, with higher GPAs leading to higher paying jobs. Each job gave the student a monthly income, after taxes. The income then went into the student’s checking account.

Balancing their checkbooks was key to managing their finances, as the students spent their money. The eighth-graders’ goals were to provide for needs first, wants second and spend less than they earned.

If the students got stuck or had any questions, they could visit the financial coach booth. The financial coach would look at their income and expenses and explain some choices they could make to complete their day successfully.

The chance booth allowed the students to get out of debt by picking from a glass bowl full of colorful slips of paper that represented extra money. Some of the extra money was in the form of lottery winnings, a raise at work or insurance money gained from a car accident.

Other booths focused on housing and utilities, health and car insurance, paying for groceries, putting children in childcare, buying clothes for the family and paying for communication devices such as cell phones and internet service.

The rewards table gave students recognition for improving their financial literacy. One treat was a Dum Dum candy with a sign attached that read, “Congratulations, you are not a Financial Dum Dum.”

Facilitators of the event realized it had a big influence on the eighth-graders when the students began to form their own opinions about the importance of making smart financial choices. Charlotte Haycraft, Berea Community Middle School GEAR UP Academic Specialist, said, “I did not see the impact of these booths until I saw the choices the students were making. The students began to understand how their financial choices, career paths, and education levels could affect a marriage and family. Overall, I thought this event was very impactful.”

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Gover is an artist with the Berea College Promise Neighborhood Initiative. A Kentucky-native, singer, songwriter, and dancer, she travels the United States and takes pride in sharing her Appalachian culture with others. Gover has performed for literally thousands of elementary, middle and high school students worldwide. She credits her passion and knowledge to both her family and local communities in Clay and Letcher counties. “Every child here at Hacker (K-6th) was born in the Appalachian region, says Academic Specialist of Hacker Elementary Christy Napier.”

In order to tie in with Hacker Elementary core standards and program review curriculum, her objective was to help students look at some of the different cultures that came together to create the Appalachian culture and help students positively define what it means to be from KY.“I seek to be a voice speaking of the beauty and dignity of Appalachian culture in a world filled with stereotypes, half-truths, and outright lies about what it means to be from the region, says Gover.

Gover enjoyed her three-day adventure with the students because she loved teaching them about Appalachian culture through verbal stories, song, and dance. Ms. Grover sang traditional ballads and songs while playing the banjo or guitar, and explained the history of the instruments and the dances that were created with them.

The students happily got on their feet and participated in some engaging Appalachian dances that included: Appalachian clogging/Flatfooting, Cherokee Dance of the Four Directions, African-American Hamboning Rhythms, and the Traditional KY Square Dance.

Sixth grader Holly Couch said, “I really liked it. I learned what clogging is and a lot of new traditional songs and dances from KY. I really enjoyed her singing too.”  During this event students learned a lot about their Appalachian culture and how important it is to keep their heritage alive. Clara Gover is coming back to work in two other schools in Clay County in the near future.

Academic and career dreaming began in the morning, as part of the career portion of the College and Career Readiness Fair. Speakers gave the middle school students informative talks, describing a day in their lives, their careers and what it takes to get there.

Kentucky State Trooper Toby Coyle answered questions the students had about his career and demonstrated how a taser works, which fascinated students. Lindsay Bruner, a vegan marketing specialist, helped students create nutritional green smoothies using pineapples and spinach. Bruner also explained the importance of being healthy and talked about her career path. Madison County EMS and Physical Therapist Lorah Shackleford demonstrated how a defibrillator works by electric shock.  She then took students through a typical day in her career.

In the afternoon, college-readiness sessions were held in ten classrooms where speakers focused on how students can get into certain careers. Students were divided into rooms by their career interests, and learned what they need to do in the classroom to prepare for their dream career.

Thirty students who wanted to become college athletes met a quarterback for the EKU football team, Jared McClain, and the midfielder for the EKU soccer team, Tess Akgunduz. “I am doing everything I can now to get onto a professional team,” said McClain. “But in case that doesn’t happen, I am working hard in the classroom to ensure that I will get a degree and a good job.”

Another room was all about volunteering, as Heather Schill from Berea College’s Center for Excellence in Learning Through Service (CELTS) office spoke to thirty-five students about why volunteering is important to be a good citizen. Charlotte Haycraft, GEAR UP Academic Specialist at Berea Community School and coordinator of College and Career Readiness Day, agreed.  “Volunteering is one of our focuses here at Berea Community School.”

Seth Henderson, graduate of Berea Community School and a first-generation college student, explained that making good grades in middle and high school opened college opportunities. Henderson admitted that he was not a very strong student in middle school, but he learned what it takes to be successful. He explained his process to students and answered their questions about achieving success for themselves.

Henderson’s talk was titled, “If Someone Had Told Me in Middle School.” He wished people in middle school told him that, “regardless of who you are, don’t think because of financial circumstances you can’t go to college.”

Haycraft moved from room to room, watching her students learn from the presenters.  “These ten rooms are trying to inform us and get us college-ready,” she said. “To me, this is the most important part of the day.  Too often we have career days and students leave thinking, ‘I could never get that career.’  What is happening in these ten rooms is offering them hope, and a reality of how they can achieve what they saw.”

COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS FAIR PHOTO GALLERY

Jackson County artist Wonda Hammons taught the art classes, which were sponsored by the Berea College Promise Neighborhood Initiative. Twenty parents and twenty students at each of the schools participated. Students and parents, in groups of two, attended a two-hour class each week for a four-week span, where every attendee created an original piece of art.

Aaron Bowles poses with his prize-winning artwork.

Beautiful works of art by parents and students were then displayed at the art contest at the Jackson County Fair. Ten-year-old JCMS student Aaron Bowles won first place and best in show for his oil painting of an elaborate ocean scene displayed at the art exhibit. Aaron received two ribbons and was very proud of his accomplishments, but even more proud was Aaron’s mother, Melissa Wilson. Aaron and his mother, along with other parents and students of JCMS, enjoyed and appreciated the opportunity to be involved in these wonderful art classes and exhibits.
Participants will have the opportunity to visit the Kentucky Artisan Center in December to see Kentucky’s outstanding artisan products and listen to guest speakers from different institutions explain the options available to anyone interested in a degree in art.

The goals of these art projects are to bring families together, celebrate relationships, succeed in creating a unique piece of artwork, and emphasize the importance of college preparation and educational career choices. The Promise Neighborhood Initiative is planning future classes, too. A new class is beginning at Sand Gap Elementary, and classes will begin at Tyner Elementary, Jackson County High School and Annville Christian Academy in February or March. There will be four sessions per school and at least one session per month for up to twenty-four months. Promise Neighborhood will cover all costs for materials and instruction, with no cost to participants.