Students at North Callaway High School had the opportunity to experience what real life is like as part of a REALL simulation.
The simulations on Wednesday taught the high school students life lessons.
Students visited different stations in the gymnasium, such as a bank, employment office, social services, utilities and a phone booth to pay their bills.
The REALL simulation actually includes two different simulations: one proactive and the other reactive.
In the proactive simulation, students have jobs based on graduating from high school. In the reactive simulation, students may have not graduated and didn’t get jobs.
In the simulation, students can see how much they make and what they can afford, said Melissa Head, counselor at North Callaway High School.
Students realize they have to pay their bills and the process may not be easy as they find out during the simulation.
Head worked with Kellie Pontius, community organizer at Central Missouri Community Action, to help get the simulation together.
Over the course of the day, 87 sophomores participated in the simulation. Students took part in a morning and an afternoon shift.
Many community partners helped with the event, such as the City of Fulton, Westminster College, Callaway County Health Department and others.
Bringing the community into schools can help students know their community better, Pontius said.
The opportunity can also make sure students can ask for help, she said. The focus is on helping the students.
“It’s a great opportunity to experience what life would look like,” Pontius said.