Community Spotlight: Real Money Real World
03/20/2024
Community Spotlight: Real Money Real World
Team TSB loves getting out and about to support the community in any way we can. One program that we love helping with is Real Money Real World. This week, we wanted to shed a little light on this amazing program, so we spoke with Joy Sharp from the OSU Extension Office. Keep reading to learn more!
Q: First, can you introduce yourself and your role with Real Money Real World?
A: My name is Joy Sharp. I am the OSU Extension Educator for 4-H Youth Development in Pickaway County. I partner with my colleague, Jessica Lowe, as well as the Pickaway WORKS program to coordinate the Real Money Real World program in Pickaway County.
Q: Can you tell us a bit more about RMRW and how/why it was started?
A: Real Money Real World is a financial education program that is a collaboration of several other financial education programs in Ohio and several surrounding states. We have been offering the program in Pickaway County since 2010. The program is a fun avenue to teach students! Our goal is to help them connect the relationship between education and career choices, financial management, and how education, career and lifestyle choices impact their spending opportunities. We teach this through a series of classroom lessons around the areas of income, expenses, education, deductions, savings, debt, financial institutions, and needs compared to wants. Then we wrap it up with a fun “Simulation” where the students have randomly drawn a job, a spouse, and children, and must make the financial decisions for their family for the month. To do this we utilize 20 volunteers at each Simulation who work at booths like housing, food, childcare, transportation, clothing, healthcare, communications, community contributions, or entertainment. Students make choices according to their family size, need and available income, and figure out how to pay all their bills for the month.
Q: What do you wish more people knew about the program or how it helps students in the area?
A: One of OSU Extension’s goals is to help meet community needs. This program assists our students in understanding how their choices starting way back in 8th grade might impact their future.
Q: What is your favorite part of your work with Real Money Real World?
A: My favorite part of the program is two-fold. First, working with teachers and volunteers who help us conduct the Simulations, and second, hearing what the students have to say about their experiences as they progress through the Simulation. We have seen the ah-hah moments when a student says, “this is why my parents said no to another pair of tennis shoes,” “food is expensive,” “childcare is expensive,” and “this is not the job for me.” The student interaction with our volunteers is priceless in this process!
Q: How can people contact you with questions or get involved?
A: We love help at our simulations! For more information or to sign up to volunteer, please contact me at [email protected] or call the OSU Extension office at 740-474-7534.
Thank you for speaking with us, Joy! The Savings Bank is so grateful to be a part of such an amazing event, and we are looking forward to the upcoming simulations in April!