El Dorado Middle School eighth grade students participated in a Future Now Finance event on Nov. 26, 2024.
This finance simulation provides students with a hands-on experience in understanding the realities of preparing for a successful future and adulthood. They explore budgeting and balancing expenses based on career income and family size while covering all of the essentials to live independently.
Before the event, students received a profile that outlined whether they were married, had any children, what level of education they had achieved, what their career was, and how much net income they had each month after taxes were withheld.
With profile and transaction log in hand, students entered the gym and began visiting each of the booths to decide where and how to spend their income. Some of the booths such as the housing/utilities were required, while others such as charitable giving or entertainment were optional.
Several juniors and seniors from El Dorado High School volunteered to help run the stations alongside several community volunteers. There were 11 stations total: charitable giving, entertainment, communications, healthcare, banking, housing/utilities, financial advising, child care, transportation/insurance, and chance. At the chance booth, students could roll the dice and either had their income supplemented by something like coupons or overtime, or depleted by a speeding ticket or unexpected visitors.
While half of the eighth graders were learning the tough realities of living within a budget, the other half were listening to guest speakers.
Officer Jeff Murphy from the El Dorado Police Department spoke to students about cyber bullying and the importance of using technology and social media responsibly. He reminded them to never give out their passwords or to let people use their phones, and to be mindful of what they are saying.
“It’s okay to not like someone or to not hang out with them,” Murphy said. “But don’t talk bad about them. It can have a serious effect on their mental health.” He reiterated the importance of following the golden rule to treat others the way we want to be treated and that if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.
Murphy also stressed the importance of asking for help and not being so worried about getting in trouble for making a mistake that they are too afraid to confide in a trusted adult.
Summer Stephen, an Enrollment Coach with Butler Community College, spoke to students about some of the programs and services Butler has to offer. She talked about the difference between a community college and a university and how students can save money by starting at a two-year college like Butler to get their general education credits completed before transferring to a four-year college to earn a Bachelor’s degree.
The third speaker session was led by 2nd Chance owner Phillip Webb and bail bondsman Quinn Duncan. They spoke to students about addiction, its consequences, and resources that can help someone transition back to a drug-free life.
Webb shared his personal story about how what started as an injury and using legal prescription drugs to help with that pain morphed into an illicit drug addiction, multiple incarcerations, and three years of homelessness.
When he decided to get sober, it was difficult to find a job with a felony on his record. Instead of using that as an excuse to fall back into old habits, Webb drew from his struggles and opened a sober living house in 2019. He wanted to help others find the path back to a drug-free life. His business has now expanded to several sober living houses and now includes bail bonding.
“One of the most difficult things about addiction is seeing something completely destroy someone you care about and not being able to do anything to stop it,” Webb said.
It is still unclear why two people can use the same substance and one will be just fine while it stimulates erratic behavior or addiction in the other. One of the most common predictors of substance abuse is a lack of impulse control.
Duncan told students one of the most dangerous substances in rural areas is alcohol. While not legally acceptable, it is often culturally acceptable for teens to drink. This creates a false sense of safety that can have devastating effects on young lives.
“Bad company corrupts good character,” Duncan said. “Show me your five closest friends and I’ll show you your future,” Webb added.
He explained that even just riding in a car with a bunch of friends, if one person has an illegal substance and the car is pulled over, everyone in the vehicle would be arrested.
Webb and Duncan explained that once you are arrested, you could be left in handcuffs for hours while they process the paperwork. Once you are processed in, you are no longer a person. You are a number and are property of the state until you get released. Studies show that 90 percent of incarcerated individuals have a history of substance abuse.
“We are accountable for our choices – both good and bad,” Webb said. They encouraged students to really think about their choices, especially in who they choose to surround themselves with.
