May 21, 2026
Students in Family & Consumer Sciences classes at Sedro-Woolley High School took part in the “Bite of Reality” financial simulation on Wednesday, May 20, hosted by volunteers from WECU.
During the hands-on activity, students were assigned careers and monthly incomes, then visited stations representing real-life expenses like housing, groceries, transportation, childcare, entertainment, clothing, utilities and more. Students had to make budgeting decisions while also navigating unexpected “fickle finger of fate” moments, including surprise expenses like car repairs or wedding gifts.
Volunteers helped students think through important financial topics such as saving money, avoiding high-interest credit card debt and asking good questions to make informed financial decisions.
One of the biggest takeaways for many students? The surprisingly high costs of transportation and childcare in the real world.
The simulation gave students a valuable opportunity to practice real-world financial literacy skills in a fun and engaging way. Thank you to WECU and all of the volunteers who helped make this experience possible for our students! We also appreciated Washington state Sen. Keith Wagoner for stopping by to volunteer at the event.
During the hands-on activity, students were assigned careers and monthly incomes, then visited stations representing real-life expenses like housing, groceries, transportation, childcare, entertainment, clothing, utilities and more. Students had to make budgeting decisions while also navigating unexpected “fickle finger of fate” moments, including surprise expenses like car repairs or wedding gifts.
Volunteers helped students think through important financial topics such as saving money, avoiding high-interest credit card debt and asking good questions to make informed financial decisions.
One of the biggest takeaways for many students? The surprisingly high costs of transportation and childcare in the real world.
The simulation gave students a valuable opportunity to practice real-world financial literacy skills in a fun and engaging way. Thank you to WECU and all of the volunteers who helped make this experience possible for our students! We also appreciated Washington state Sen. Keith Wagoner for stopping by to volunteer at the event.