Willowbrook students participate in budgeting simulation program

On Oct. 20 and 21, about 300 students in the Career and Technical Education (CTE) Department at Willowbrook participated in a program called Mad City Money.

The program is hosted by Great Lakes Credit Union and teaches students how to manage a budget through simulating real-life scenarios. Students are given a profile with their career, family, income and expenditure needs. They then visit booths that represent various aspects of life such as buying child care, a car, a home, food and more. The goal is for students to understand the challenges and importance of maintaining a balanced budget.

“The objective is for students to use what they’ve learned in class to make financially sound decisions,” said Thuy Ngo, Willowbrook CTE teacher. “And if they don’t, I hope they see and learn the consequences of those choices.”

Willowbrook CTE Department Chair Mary Barney said this is the school's 4th annual internal field trip with Great Lakes Credit Union. She added the CTE Department is thrilled to have six teachers participate in the field trip this semester, which enriches the educational experience for students.