On April 12, 2019, Louisiana Jump$tart Coalition gave East Baton Rouge Parish C-TEC students an unforgettable educational experience. These students participated in the Louisiana Jump$tart Financial $marts Mad City Money Simulation.
The junior and senior students took on a new life, created by Jump$tart’s Mad City Money Simulation. With careers, spouses and even a list of children in hand, these students walked through an hour-long simulation that gave them real life scenarios on financial decision making. Students visited 10 different tables and completed their choice of items to fill in their budget including housing, transportation, groceries and dining, home goods, clothing, child care, the mall, entertainment and a financial institution to assist with making sound financial decisions.
As the simulation progressed, the students could be heard saying they didn’t realize how expensive it is to buy a house, car or even groceries. They began to understand why their parents denied them more expensive things sometimes. This exercise opened many students’ eyes to the reality faced by adults every day. The simulation was capped off by a group discussion on how real world expenses can affect the student’s decisions to continue their education at college or technical school.