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O.U. CREDIT UNION BRINGS MAD CITY TO LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL
ATHENS, Ohio -- Ohio University Credit Union staff members gave high school students at Federal Hocking High School a taste of the real world with the Mad City Money program. When students entered the Mad City corporation limit, they were assigned an occupation with a coordinating salary and a family status. Each student was then challenged to buy a vehicle, housing, insurance, food, child care, furniture, entertainment and have at least $100 left over at the end of the day to put in their savings account. Each student had also had to draw two “Fickle Finger of Fate” cards that either gave them a lucky break like getting birthday money from grandma, or a not so lucky break like having a flat tire, and having to pay to have it repaired.
“I never realized how hard it is to save money, and how much it takes to buy things that you need. You have to keep it within reason”, said freshmen Erin Moore. Students celebrated their Mad City “graduation” with cupcakes iced in their school colors.
OUCU received great media attention from the event, and has already made arrangements to do the simulation at two other schools in Athens County.