The Chamber’s Franklin Initiative Reality Store is a fun simulation that helps 7th and 8th graders connect academic achievement with the kind of lifestyle they envision for themselves as an adult.  In the activity, students pretend to be a 28-year-old just starting out in their career.  They are assigned salaries based on their actual GPA, and can decide if they are married or single and how many children they have, if any.  Then, they proceed from table to table (staffed by Franklin Initiative volunteers) to buy housing, transportation, food, insurance, child care, etc.  Leftover money can be used at the pets, electronics, and vacations tables. Continue reading →