Volunteers Needed for 'Reality U' Skills Course

Cobb resident Irene Barton is a member of the program committee of the Communities in Schools/Marietta Cobb County and asked us to pass along this request for volunteers for an upcoming financial/life skills event called Reality U:
Did you know that every 9 seconds, a student drops out of school and into an uncertain future? Many times, the student is making that decision without understanding the longer-term consequences of his or her choice – that most dropouts earn significantly less income than their counterparts who finish school and the majority will never enter the workplace at all. 

Ultimately, we all pay the price for this lack of academic achievement as business owners, community members and taxpayers. Communities in Schools is the largest dropout prevention organization in the US and accomplishes its work through a network of nearly 200 local affiliates. 

Communities in Schools Marietta/Cobb County (CISMCC) works on site at 7 school campuses with identified students and also provides other programs and initiatives in the fulfillment of its mission. One program that opens the eyes of Cobb County students to the effects of not completing high school is Reality U. 

This one-day financial literacy and life skills event is designed to help students understand some of the “realities” involved in preparing for adulthood. At Reality U, students are provided an adult scenario complete with family status, occupation and net monthly income. During the fast-paced, hand-on exercise, students visit a variety of booths to “purchase” housing, transportation, communication services, child-care, food, utilities, insurance, etc. 

When the students see how far their income does or does not stretch, it is a dose of reality. Ultimately, Reality U helps students make a direct connection between the choice of staying in school and success and financial stability in life. 

CISMCC brought Reality U to over 1,300 Cobb County/Marietta City students during the 2012-13 school year. In keeping with CISMCC’s plan to leverage existing resources, the programs were run by 273 volunteers donating close to 1,600 hours at 9 Reality U events. 

CISMCC is seeking volunteers for its upcoming Reality U and invites you to contact Meghan Wilson at 678-503-0901 to learn more and to volunteer a few hours of your time to make a difference in the life of a student.

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