Clarendon Hills Middle School hosts financial literacy event for eighth graders

Clarendon Hills Middle School eighth-grade students recently participated in a financial literacy event called "Real World" day. This activity was designed to give students practical experience in managing a monthly budget, building on lessons from their financial literacy unit.

During the event, students used skills learned from previous mock job interviews conducted in December. They were required to make decisions about housing, transportation, groceries, and phone plans, simulating real-life financial choices.

Local realtor Courtney Stach visited the school’s Media Resource Center to speak with the students. Stach discussed topics such as buying versus renting homes, the importance of maintaining good credit, and strategies for saving for a downpayment. She shared her professional insights with the class.

A statement from the organizers expressed appreciation: "A big thank you to teacher Meghan Carey and to Courtney Stach for providing our 8th graders with such a valuable and practical learning experience!"

Clarendon Hills Middle School is part of Hinsdale Community Consolidated School District 181, which serves DuPage and Cook counties along with several other schools in the area (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/). The district employs 282 teachers with an average salary of $94,227; most are women and there are no teachers with more than ten absences per year (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/). The student population is predominantly White at nearly 70 percent; other represented groups include Asian (15.4 percent), Hispanic (6.8 percent), and Black (1.1 percent) students (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/). In 2020, spending per student was $31,308 for a total expenditure of over $117 million by the district (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/).