Eighth graders in sending districts to Pinkerton Academy completed their Careers program curriculum last week by participating in the CU 4 Reality Fair held at the Stockbridge Theatre on the Pinkerton campus.
The fair provides the students with a hands-on educational experience that introduces and guides them through the relationship between people and credit unions. Students work through mock real life situations such as balancing a budget to obtain a loan or finding out what is involved in getting a mortgage that is affordable.
One young man from West Running Brook Middle School, Adam Grabowski, was just leaving the mortgage table, where he had returned for another try at obtaining a mortgage for the house he wanted to buy, after making adjustments to his budget. He said this was an interesting experience and he had to make several significant adjustments to finally qualify for the loan.
All the students attending the fair have an opportunity to create a personal budget, apply for a mortgage or a loan and see what the process entails. Along the way they get to encounter the shortcomings of their initial plans and budgets and have the chance to work through them to find affordable solutions.
The event is sponsored by St. Mary’s Bank Credit Union, Manchester. West Running Brook Principal Leslie Saucier called the event “a wonderful experience for the students.”
