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Middle School Students Visit "Chambertown"

Can you really afford that car? What does it mean to save for retirement? Eighth grade students at Taft and Col. Wheeler Middle Schools received some hands-on experience with the financial realities of life at the annual Chambertown event.

Hosted in partnership with the Crossroads Regional Chamber of Commerce and Junior Achievement, Taft and Col. Wheeler students attend Chambertown with the goal of becoming more financially aware. Students each receive a career at the start of the event. They “walk around town” to visit various businesses for financial information. Students visit booths with information about insurance, auto, retirement, utilities, childcare, and more. 

As they move from place to place, students must prioritize their given budget. They must make choices about what fits their income and determine the difference between needs and wants. The event is an opportunity for students to put part of their Advisory class into practice, where they recently completed Junior Achievement’s Economics for Success program.

Chambertown uses approximately 65 volunteers from local organizations and businesses. With the help of these volunteers, students are coached through understanding the cost of living, how expenses may occur outside of our control, and how life’s circumstances can affect financial well-being. Teacher Mark Croell said students quickly learn that money doesn't grow on trees. He also said that students begin to think differently about what type of job they're considering in the future.

After Chambertown concludes, students take their experiences back to Advisory class to discuss what they learned and how they might think differently about finances. As one student in Mr. Croell's class noted, "It is tough adulting."

 

Students standing at table with calculators

Students visit the "bank" where they learn about the importance of saving. Volunteers explain the options students could choose from, and then students determine the impact to their budget.

 

A student recalculates his budget after stopping at the next business in "town".

A student recalculates his budget after stopping at the next business in "town".

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