“Credit for Life” Fair Coming to SHS

by Anne Wagner, Assistant Principal – Sandwich High School

The Cape Cod Five Cents Savings Bank is sponsoring a Credit for Life Fair for Sandwich High School seniors on Tuesday, October 7, 2014.  The Credit for Life Fair, a collaborative venture between the Cape Cod Five, the Bourne-Sandwich Rotary Club and Sandwich High School, provides seniors with a unique opportunity to learn how to make good financial decisions after high school.  The Fair is an interactive simulation that requires students to select a career option and then practice managing their personal budgets based upon the projected monthly income for their job choice.

Students visit booths staffed by real estate agents, bankers, insurance representatives and retailers as they make financial decisions about what they want, what they need and what they can afford.  At one point in the simulation, students will have to visit the “Reality Check” booth, where random events could result in unexpected costs.  The Fair ends with a debriefing where students, teachers and sponsors can discuss the lessons learned during the day.  The Credit for Life Fair was designed to help students gain an understanding of the financial decisions they will make when they are on their own, without parents or guardians paying the bills and covering the costs for food, clothing, shelter and entertainment.

In preparation for the Credit for Life Fair in October, seniors will complete career interest surveys in early September.

The Credit for Life Fair has been a great success in other school systems and we appreciate the generous support provided by the Cape Cod Five Cents Savings Bank and the Bourne-Sandwich Rotary Club in organizing and underwriting this outstanding educational opportunity for our students.