Starke County Students to Take Part in Annual Reality Store Event

  
 

Starke County eighth graders will get a taste of the “real world” next week. The annual Reality Store event will take place next Wednesday at Knox Middle School.

During the event, students from Culver, Knox, North Judson-San Pierre, and Oregon-Davis schools are given an occupation and a budget. Students are also assigned a different scenario, such as whether or not they have a college education, whether they’re married, or have kids or pets.

Then the students visit booths, which represent various expenses, such as food, clothing, mortgages, utilities, or insurance. Many local businesses and organizations provide their expertise by taking part in the event.

According to the Starke County Economic Development Foundation, the Reality Store is meant to teach students about how the decisions they make now will affect the rest of their lives. The foundation says the event is often an eye-opener for students. Some of the students are expected to report what they’ve learned to their school boards.