Dunbar Juniors Get ‘REAL Life’ Lessons

JA & Lit Lex Team Up on Financial Literacy

Heading into fall break, juniors at Paul Laurence Dunbar High School got some old-school money lessons from professionals who know what’s what. The JA REAL Life program, coordinated by Junior Achievement of the Bluegrass, debuted in Kentucky with over 70 corporate community volunteers sharing their wisdom on financial literacy and work/career readiness.

Students rotated in small groups through a handful of activity stations in the gym. In the main session, Budget Builder, each was assigned a persona such as single mom with three kids and was tasked with making tough financial decisions. They considered everything from income and housing to debt and expenses like groceries and utilities.

“We hope it’s fun and engaging and interesting, and helps prepare students for the decisions they will face as they move through life,” said Laurel Martin, JA president.

In another area, students played a version of “The Price Is Right,” which was an eye-opener on what the essentials truly cost. Around the corner, others spread out at tables for a board game based on “The Game of Life.” In this version, players landed on squares to spend or earn and had to balance their wants and needs.

Meanwhile in the library, classmates pulled category cards and played charades to guess various jobs as they learned about educational paths and practiced interview skills. And across the room, students carefully removed giant Jenga blocks one at a time as they answered questions about what makes a good resume.

All of these sessions hummed along simultaneously over two days thanks to the corporate-partner volunteers lined up by Lit Lex, the culminating project of Leadership Lexington’s Class of 2024. Lit Lex’s Anthony Allen said in addition to recruiting CPAs, tax advisers, business owners, and other professionals to help at Dunbar, the group worked with JA to hone the financial literacy curriculum.

Principal Scott Loscheider was grateful for their assistance and for the leadership of staffer Pam Bates, the college and career coach at Dunbar, where the mantra is “All In on 1600” – a reference to the street address on Man o’ War Boulevard. “JA inspires young people for success, and that aligns with our core values here at Dunbar,” Loscheider said. “I want Paul Laurence Dunbar to feel like the center of the community. Our kids are the future, and we’ve got to be ‘all in’ on our future.”