Sedro-Woolley students gain financial education through WECU budgeting exercise

SEDRO-WOOLLEY - Sedro-Woolley High School students participated in an exercise Wednesday that was part of a Whatcom Educational Credit Union effort to provide financial education for local youth.

The Bite of Reality exercise was held in Gracie Luvera's Senior Launch class.

In the exercise, students downloaded an app and visited eight stations representing various expenses of most adults, including necessary and discretionary purchases.

Each student was assigned a job with a certain income and a hypothetical family to support, and went through each station figuring out how to balance their budgets while maintaining good credit.

Students learned about budgeting, credit scores, credit unions and spending money wisely.

Luvera said financial responsibility is a key part of her class, and giving high school seniors a chance to experience adult realities in a controlled environment is a way to help them as they head into the next chapter of their lives.

State Sen. Keith Wagoner helped students with their budgeting questions.

He said financial literacy is something young adults typically struggle with, and that exercises such as Bite of Reality help set up students for success.

"We all know that Washington is one of the most expensive states to live in right now ... so being able to save money and (to) budget is really important," Wagoner said.

WECU Financial Wellness Representative Cherish Flint said WECU aims to promote financial wellness for its members and the community, and providing free financial education to learners of all ages aligns with that mission.

VIDEO: Sedro-Woolley students take part in Bite of Reality

WECU Financial Wellness Representative Cherish Flint talks about what she hopes students get out of WECU's Bite of Reality exercise.

WECU was founded by local teachers in 1936.

As a credit union, everything that WECU generates gets reinvested in the community through charitable giving, lower borrowing rates, free financial education, and a variety of other member and community benefits.

Last year, WECU was able to provide financial education to about 2,200 students in about 100 classrooms, and is on track to do the same this year.

"The legacy of financial well-being of our members and community (is) at the heart of everything we do. It's just really such an honor to be able to help carry on that mission," Flint said.

Research shows that students who receive financial education end up having higher credit scores, lower loan delinquency rates and healthier borrowing habits throughout their lifetimes.

Bite of Reality is a fairly new financial education opportunity that WECU offerd to students.

The last Bite of Reality event in Skagit County was for LaVenture Middle School students.

It was held at Skagit Valley College so students could also tour the college and get a glimpse of what their futures could look like.

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