The Game of Life is Not Always Fair
…Or so local freshman at Camdenton High School thought as they were each given various amounts of money to use as their income towards making various life choices.
If you’ve ever played The Game of Life, you’ll remember that it’s a board game that is as entertaining as it is educational. Players progress through major life milestones – graduating school, getting a job, and having kids. And since life is full of surprises, the game throws roadblocks in a player’s way to make it more interesting.
When playing their own life sized version of The Game of Life, students at Camdenton High School were given a budget to play with based on their GPA. The kicker? They didn’t know what caused their limited (or large!) funds. They were also periodically asked to spin a wheel that either gave them extra money (like a bonus at work) or a setback that created a need to spend more money than usual (like a broken arm).
Community partners including McGrath Insurance, utility companies, a grocery store and more volunteered to send members of their team to participate in the game to make it as realistic as possible. Students were encouraged to spend their money to make adult decisions like whether to own a house or rent an apartment and what kind of car to choose to fit a budget. Melissa Kupfer volunteer to represent McGrath Insurance at the event. Students stopped to chat with Melissa about how much their insurance would cost on a monthly basis, and how that would fit in with the rest of their spending.
Over 300 students played Camdenton High School’s version of The Game of Life. Melissa noted that it was interesting to see how they responded to the budget they got without knowing what determined the amount. After the event, students went back to their classrooms to learn more from their teachers.
Did you know that there’s a strong correlation between a person’s high school GPA and their earning potential later in life? Suddenly it all became clear to participants why they got the budget they did. As adults, it can be rude to ask about how much money someone earns, but there’s certainly less social faux pas associated with talking about grades. Therefore, this is the perfect time to begin the budgeting conversation and The Game of Life event was the perfect vehicle to drive the point home.
Students had the chance to reflect on how they spent their money and asked themselves questions like, “Should I have spent less on a more practical car?” and “Should I have rented before buying a house?” Considering these questions now will make it easier for them to make smart and informed decisions later in life.
Get in touch if you want to explore insurance options that fit your budget. We offer special rates for student drivers with good grades!
