It’s a mad, mad, mad world out there, and West Seneca Academy of Finance students got a glimpse into the unpredictable world of finance at their Mad City Money (MCM) program, hosted by Western New York Federal Credit Union (WNYFCU) on May 8.
Mad City Money is an interactive budgeting simulation directed towards high school students. Students take on a “new life” including a career, children and debt! They are challenged to purchase a house, clothes, transportation, home goods, and so much more. MCM provides students with realistic examples of financial situations, demonstrating the connection between their choices and the economic consequences of those decisions.
Mad City Money not only helps youth to learn how to effectively manage their money, but also have a better understanding of how to prevent and manage financial ups and downs. While visiting the merchants, the students had the opportunity to review their budgets and choices with a volunteer from the Academy of Finance Advisory Board. Students reviewed their purchases, talked about savings, and discussed ways to avoid common financial mistakes in the future.
“I have facilitated Mad City Money as a credit union employee for eight years now. I absolutely love this program. The reason to bring Mad City Money to West Senior is to give students, who are about to embark on life in the real world, a taste of the financial challenges they will face as adults and a recognition that they need to know the rules of the economic game in life if they hope to win. The students and volunteer merchants did a great job all around!” said Mary Sullivan, Member Development & Community Outreach at WNYFCU.
This free educational event is now offered by Western New York Federal Credit Union for local high schools and other organizations.
For more information on how you can bring Mad City Money to your school, contact Mary Sullivan at ms*******@wn****.com.
