Institution for Savings will host its 16th annual Credit for Life Fair on Wednesday, May 27, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Salem State University. This annual personal finance learning experience is offered to over 1,200 North Shore high school juniors – but volunteer support helps make it happen.
What is the Credit for Life Fair? Imagine high school juniors stepping into the shoes of 25-year-old adults, managing their own finances for a day! Using a simulated website (creditforlife.org), students choose a profession and navigate the real-world expenses of adulthood: housing, furniture, utilities, food, transportation, and more. The goal is simple yet powerful: to teach them how to manage their money and balance a budget before they graduate high school. To get a glimpse of this event in action, check out this video from our North Shore event.
To bring this experience to 1,000-plus students, Institution for Savings relies heavily on volunteers. These volunteers guide students through the budgeting simulation at the booths – answer questions and chat with them about the realities of financial responsibility. No prior experience in financial education is necessary to take part. Institution for Savings will provide an orientation and talking points. For years, individuals and businesses have volunteered at CFL using their volunteer hours or even organizing as a team builder event and the response is almost always the same – ‘we’re so glad we did this…and wish we had this experience when we were younger!’
While Massachusetts doesn’t yet mandate personal finance education, Institution for Savings firmly believes it’s a critical skill for all students.
Ready to sign up as a volunteer? CLICK HERE
For more information or to get involved, please email ksullivan@ifs.bank.
