Garfield High School teacher Bambi Hugh had a lot of latitude in developing her annual seminar for sophomores, which she calls Reality Check. Students pick a career and outline a detailed standard of living that includes whether and when they intend to marry and have children and whether they intend to continue their education past high school. Then they figure out what it will cost and how to pay for it - item by item.
HUGH: "Raise your hand if you can think of one thing you're going to have to pay for as an adult. A house, good, possibly your rent or mortgage. What else? Bills, what type of bills, water, electricity, those are utilities..."
The new law requires all Ohio schools to teach financial literacy by 2010, but doesn't specify what kind of courses schools must offer. Hugh says she wanted her seminar to teach personal budgeting and bill-paying. She also wanted students to know how much education their careers would require, and what salaries their jobs would bring.
Hugh. "We're talking about designer clothes and high-priced items. Right now they don't pay for that stuff. One thing they'll realize is that stuff does cost a lot of money, and they might have to change their decisions. That's perfectly fine. That's why we do this."
Seventeen-year-old Sherrill Hill was pretty sure she knew what she wanted to do after high school. Halfway through her first Reality Check session, that's changed.
HILL: "I wanted to be a cosmetologist, but I don't really know for sure. I want to explore because I already know what they make. That's not something I can see myself doing for the rest of my life."
Hill says she's considering going to college to study social work. That's exactly what Hugh wants to hear from 10th graders who still have plenty of time to choose and to reach their goals.
Kymberli Hagelberg, 90.3