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Community Corner

Financial "Bite of Reality" for Teens

Redwood Credit Union (RCU) in partnership with 
the San Rafael Chamber Education Committee, San Rafael School District and RMJ Foundation will present a free “Bite of Reality” financial workshop 
for local teens on Tuesday, March 18, 2014 from 9 am to 12 noon at the San Rafael High School Gymnasium. 
The event is open to high school 
seniors enrolled in San Rafael, Terra Linda and Madrone High Schools.

“Bite of Reality” teaches basic money management skills in a fun, interactive setting designed to provide teens with a taste of real-world financial realities, such as paying off student loans, getting medical insurance, and paying for basic necessities like groceries and utilities. There is no charge for the workshop, and staff from Redwood Credit Union and other local businesses will serve as mentors and play the roles of business people adults encounter in their financial lives. The “Bite of Reality” program was created by the Richard Myles Johnson (RMJ) Foundation, which supports financial education efforts of credit unions in California and Nevada, with a special focus on youth financial education.

At the start of the session, teens are provided with a fictional identity, including an occupation, salary, family, credit cards and a checking account. They then visit a variety of table-top stations to purchase housing, transportation, food, clothing, household necessities, daycare and other needs.  

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Participants will face pushy car salespeople, commission-based realtors, and other vendors as they weigh their wants versus their needs. During the exercise, the teens will be faced with challenging decisions as they find that the money from their salaries might not meet their desires for goods and services. Volunteers from the Credit Union are on-hand to help the students through their financial challenges. 

To register a teenager for “Bite of Reality,” email biteofreality@redwoodcu.org, or call RCU at (707) 576-5259. 

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