Nearly 300 Valley Vista High School students recently took part in Financial Fitness in Action, an educational exercise where students participate in a fun, post-high school simulation of saving, spending and budgeting based on career choices and lifestyle decisions.

The program was open to students enrolled in Valley Vista’s AP microeconomics and economics classes. The Arizona Council on Economic Education provided the educational materials and partnered with school staff and twenty community volunteers, including banking professionals, to put on the event.

Available for grades seven through 12, the purpose of the program is to teach financial literacy early in life. Students are given the opportunity to see how their decisions will impact them financially, such as renting an apartment alone or with a roommate, purchasing or leasing a vehicle, and paying for cable and telephones.

At the start of the two-hour event, Valley Vista students were provided a worksheet with their assigned career, salary, credit score and family data. With that information in hand, they visited a series of decision-making booths staffed by teachers, community volunteers and banking industry leaders.

At each booth, they discussed how to best utilize their budget for things such as housing, auto insurance, investing, groceries, entertainment, healthcare and more. Students then filled out that portion of their budgeting worksheet, in effect making a financial decision for that category.

In the spirit of keeping the simulation realistic, students were randomly surprised with financial speedbumps like traffic tickets, car repairs and other unplanned expenses. Those who had saved for such events were able to absorb the cost, while those with less of a financial cushion found themselves back at the decision-making booths looking for ways to budget more effectively.

Once the students had made their final spending decisions, they met 1-on-1 with financial advisors who reviewed their worksheets to ensure solvency or to help students learn how to better live within their means.

Financial Fitness in Action is one of the qualifying events to earn the Arizona Seal of Personal Finance for grades nine through 12. Dysart Schools leads the way with the most seals in the state, touting 642 districtwide last year. Valley Vista High School accounts for 190 seals.

ACEE prepares teachers to educate students on personal finance, economics and entrepreneurship. They distribute proven economic resources to schools for free.