Racine, WI (March 4, 2026) |
Every year, thousands of students in the southeast Wisconsin area get the chance to receive hands-on learning about finances at “Reality Check Day.” Racine Unified School District (RUSD) has partnered with Educators Credit Union for 20 years to bring this interactive, gamified experience to teens and prepare them for making good financial decisions as adults. Over 1,200 Racine students will be the first of a March flurry of “Reality Check Days.”
“’Reality Check Day’ is an incredible experience that prepares our students for life after high school,” said Alexander DeBaker, the Executive Director of Academies and Transformation at RUSD. “This engaging event encourages them to think critically about the financial decisions they will face in their future, giving them a head start on real-world success.”
The activity functions through an app on students’ devices where they can pick their dream job and navigate budgeting, credit card payments and saving up for retirement. There are randomized elements in the activity, such as how much credit card debt they have, whether the student is married or divorced, if they have children they must either care for or pay child support for, and a fun “Fate” station where they could randomly get a speeding ticket or receive overtime pay at their job.
Students must make decisions about what to purchase at life stations such as housing, transportation, shopping, personal care and more. They interact with volunteers from the community who act as salespeople at each station and may try to upsell the students on the products they are “selling.” There are cheap and expensive options at each station, and students must pick wisely based on the salary from the career they have chosen. The best part about “Reality Check Day” is students learn from mistakes made in a simulation rather than in real life with real consequences.
“’Reality Check Day’ isn’t just a one-day simulation,” said Victor Frasher, the Director of Community Engagement at Educators Credit Union. “It’s our long-term commitment to equipping young people with the real-world financial knowledge, confidence, and decision-making skills they need to thrive for a lifetime.”
Educators Credit Union has been organizing and providing the infrastructure for “Reality Check Day” for over 20 years as part of their mission to educate and advise the community. What started as a simulation on pen and paper has evolved to be playable on a convenient mobile app, making financial literacy more accessible than ever for Wisconsin students.
Local students can look forward to several “Reality Check Days” coming up soon: South Milwaukee High School will host on March 17; Tremper High School in Kenosha will host on March 19; MPS will be hosting thousands of students from 21 schools at UW-Milwaukee Student Union Ballroom on April 7; Indian Trail Academy in Kenosha will host on April 14; Cudahy High School will host on April 15; and Bradford High School in Kenosha will host on April 23.
