On September 24, 2024, Southeast 8th Grade and 10th Grade students collaborated with Northeast students to participate in Reality U^®.  Current Southeast seniors were alongside local business men and women present to serve at the simulation stations. Southeast is also honored to have had some of our own graduates assist our current students. 

Reality U^® brings a bit of “reality” to students through a 75-minute interactive and engaging personal finance simulation. Students imagine their life as 26-year-olds and complete an online lifestyle survey. This information is entered into our trademarked software, along with their current GPA, to create a unique and individualized future scenario.

Each scenario includes the student’s monthly income, credit card debt, student loan information, as well as marital and family status. Students are given a checkbook register to track their monthly purchases from the 12 booths representing services and/or products that adults typically must purchase or consider each month. Sometimes they must return a “purchase” and make a different decision. The checkbook register can’t fall below zero!

This event actively engages students to help them understand the importance of how their performance in school today impacts their future. It also provides the community an opportunity to share in local students’ learning and develop an understanding of the world of work.

Students gain an understanding of the value and importance of education and how their decisions can affect their lives. This is just one way USD #247 works to prepare our students for their future. 

We would like to thank the following Southeast graduates for assisting in the simulation : Daisy (Burns) Flood, Tori (Colvin) Edge, and Taylor Gravett. We would also like to show gratitude to Christine Abbott from KansasWorks and Dan Boley from CTEC for assisting our students in this great opportunity.