Eighth graders had a chance to visit their future selves, 26 years old and paying bills, Thursday when United Way of Central Kansas hosted Reality U. After this morning simulation of bringing home a paycheck — less the usual deductions — choosing a car and paying rent, some of the students said they wanted to go home and tell their parents, “Thank you.”

Several sponsors helped bring the financial education program Reality U to Great Bend Middle School. Before the activity, students in Karl McCulley’s social studies class completed an online survey with questions about their occupation, marital status and use of credit cards in the future, along with their current grade point average. 

On Thursday they were assigned careers, and in some cases student loans and/or children, and given a “passport” similar to a checkbook register. They started with money in their accounts but needed to take their passports to 12 stations that represented services or products that adults typically must purchase or consider each month.

“This is such a great thing,” McCulley said as students wrapped up the exercise.

Some students learned that they will need to make better grades in the future if they want a career in a certain field. Some had to trade in the new pickups they chose at the start of the exercise for something that was older and cost less. The goal was to still have money at the end of the month.

While the experience was fun and eye-opening, the lessons were brought into focus in a rap session at the end with Patrick Sehl Jr. from Pando Initiative, the Wichita company that created Reality U.

“What will you tell your parents about your experience at Reality U?” Sehl asked. He tossed miniature candy bars to students as they answered:

“Thank you.”

“I’m sorry I’m so expensive.”

“I’m rich!”

“One day I’m going to retire poor ...”

“Not if you make better decisions,” said Tonya Kircher from Credit Union of America. She was one of several community volunteers who helped present Reality U. “Start learning today; learn every day.”

Sehl wasn’t a model student, he told the students.

“I was kicked out of two schools by the time I was in the fourth grade,” he said. His junior year, he scored so low on a biology test that his teacher accused him of cheating.

He said he didn’t learn how to be a student until he was in his 20s, because he didn’t realize that he learned differently than the average student. But he did graduate from high school, then college and graduate school, and later he earned a doctorate degree.

His message to students was that they can achieve their goals, “no matter what you’ve been told about your GPA.”

It does take effort, he said.

“Start over or begin differently. What do you know you need to do to do better in school?”

Again, the students had the answers. Participate. Pay attention. Give some effort. Be a leader. Believe in yourself.

“You guys are brilliant,” Sehl said. “You have to figure out what’s your thing that motivates you.”