Reality Fair at Marlborough High School Opens Eyes and Doors

From Marlborough Public Schools:

Marlborough, Mass. – “How much will cost to rent a two-bedroom apartment? How much will a cell phone plan cost? What about if I buy a used car? How about getting a student loan? Will my monthly salary cover my expenses? Did I pick the right career?”

These are just a few of the many questions that Marlborough High School (MHS) seniors asked volunteers as they visited the various businesses and organizations at the annual Reality Fair held on Nov. 1st. In its twelfth year, the Reality Fair was brought to MHS by Peggy Thorsen who established the fair during her first year as the President of the Marlborough Rotary Club. To create the Reality Fair, The Rotary Club received assistance from the Business Professionals of America and the School/Business Partnership Committee of the Marlborough Regional Chamber of Commerce. This year's Fair was sponsored by the state treasurer's financial education grants for Massachusetts high schools.

“The aim of the Reality Fair is to give kids a taste of the reality they will face when they leave high school or college so they aren’t totally at odds,” stated Thorsen. “This is also a fantastic opportunity for the volunteers who share their business/career experience with the students. When volunteers see the light in a student’s eyes confirming the student understands a concept, financial or career related, the volunteer feels their contribution is worthwhile.” According to national statistics, 665% of teenagers can’t pass a basic exam of financial literacy, which is why Thorsen is so committed to this project.

Jayne Haley, a business teacher at MHS, has been coordinating the Reality Fair for twelve consecutive years. High school students in the Business Club help her with the many logistics of the Fair. In advance of the Fair, the seniors are assigned the task of finding their chosen list of more than 50 career paths and determining a month’s salary factoring in required deductions. From there, students visit the “paymaster” who cashes their “salary check” and gives them “Rotary Dollars,” play money, on which they must live for a month. The ultimate goal of the Fair is for students to realize that a good paying job will be essential to cover the costs of their living expenses. “The Reality Fair teaches students ‘soft skills,’ how to communicate with adults and look interviewers in the eyes,” added Sharon Buckley, Director of Guidance, grades 5 – 12 for Marlborough Public Schools.

“The Fair is helping me formulate a plan for my future. I picked psychology as a college path with a minor in business, which I will pursue at Framingham State,” shared Carlos Corado. “This is the first time I’ve thought about the other side of choosing a career. I hadn’t really considered the financial implications before,” stated

Anna Fialho. “I’m thinking about a career in music management and am applying to Wagner College in NY.” According to senior Emma Lincoln, “This Fair is showing us what the real world is like and what salary we’ll

make in the job we want. I’m interested in becoming a high school math teacher, and I have to consider my expenses, like insurance and student loans.”

The MHS Reality Fair represents a win-win opportunity for all involved. Students learn to make better financial choices; businesses and students gain exposure to each other in a positive light; and society as a whole benefits from having more financially responsible young adults. To become involved with future Reality Fairs, contact Peggy Thorsen, the founder, at (508) 481-5453 or mathorsen@verizon.net.

Photo courtesy of Marlborough Public Schools