District News

As they moved between stations representing a wide range of life expenses, Lancaster Middle School students weren’t just playing a game with their classmates. They were getting a critical lesson about managing their money directly from older students at Lancaster High School.

“I’ve learned how important saving money and managing a budget can be,” said Declan Sengbusch, a senior who serves as president of the high school’s Academy of Finance. “It’s cool we can do this and give a little insight into their future.”

Budgeting-related lessons in coordination with high school students have been held at the middle school for about five years, but this year’s event, held on February 12, 2026, was the largest lesson so far. About 450 eighth grade students had the chance to participate and interact with about 70 students from the high school academy. The event was supported with Good Neighbors Credit Union.

Students started the game by receiving a hypothetical career with jobs like a music teacher, veterinary assistant or pharmacist, as well as responsibilities like student loan payments, credit card debt and dependents. With budget worksheets in hand, students visited different stations with varying pricing tiers for expenses like mortgage, utilities, childcare along with purchases like clothing and entertainment. The students also spinned a wheel called the “Fickle Finger of Fate” revealing a random life event that could provide additional money or expenses. Students who ended the game with a negative amount of money were sent back to the stations to find solutions that balanced their budget.

“This is projecting the life of an adult to help understand the difference between needs and wants,” said Scott Dixon, the academy’s director.

Madeleine Williams, an eighth grader, said she struggled in areas like finding furniture for her fictional home, where there were fewer options in lower pricing tiers. When it came to different spending areas, “it’s a lot of pressure to make a decision,” she said.

Eighth graders Brennan Murray and Samuel Mosley said one of their biggest challenges was finding housing at their respective budget levels. The two said they liked the opportunity to learn through the experience and speaking to older students.

“It’s interactive,” Samuel said. “It’s not just hearing from a teacher. You’re hearing from the students.”

Experiences like the Mad City Money activity can help create excitement for financial literacy, a topic that may not always be first on younger students’ minds. Financial literacy for young people is increasingly important, according to youth.gov, due to increasing debt levels among young people. A lack of financial education can lead to young people falling victim to scams, predatory lending and unnecessary debt.

“It’s important to start thinking about financial literacy when you’re younger,” said Ryan Bradley, Partnership and Outreach Specialist at Good Neighbors Credit Union. “It gives the students context. The more they understand why their parents go to work, and why it’s important to get a job and save money, the more confident they are about their finances.”

More information about the Lancaster High School Academy of Finance can be found at https://lhs.lancasterschools.org/academies/academy-of-finance.