GFA Federal Credit Union Hosts Annual Reality Fair at Gardner High School

GFA Federal Credit Union hosted their annual Reality Fair at Gardner High school to close out the 2024-2025 school year. 

“We were thrilled to have offered this engaging, experiential learning opportunity to our students as part of our annual program,” said Johanna Ottino, Media Specialist/Family-School Partnership Leader. “It was wonderful to see the students connect with community volunteers and gain real-world insight into balancing their wants and needs.”

Prior to the Reality Fair, students selected a career path and were required to calculate the taxes that would be deducted from their income. They began the event with their monthly net salary, which they used to navigate real-life budgeting decisions. Local businesses and organizations—such as Habitat for Humanity, Growing Places, Edward Jones, MassHire, Mayor Nicholson, and the City of Gardner DPW—volunteered to participate as vendors for the event.

“Financial literacy is a critical life skill, and the Reality Fair gives students a real-world experience that helps them understand the value of money, budgeting, and smart decision-making. It’s eye-opening and empowering—and it’s exactly the kind of hands-on learning that prepares them for life beyond high school. We love partnering with GFA each year to bring this valuable experience to students,” said Erica Halloran of MassHire North Central MA.

During the fair students visited each vendor to find housing, utilities, transportation, food, clothing and even a “Wheel of Reality.” The wheel offers opportunities, such as winning the lottery, or downfalls like a flat tire. The student’s goal is to make sure they can live on their budget while having some savings. The last stop of the fair is to the Credit Counselor table. The Credit Counselors check the student’s ledgers and make sure they were successful or advise on how to get their budget back on track.

“When GFA mentioned the Reality Fair to us at the Habitat for Humanity we thought it would be a perfect collaboration,” said Diana Sinkus, Community Outreach Coordinator “working hand in hand building on our shared strengths and knowledge to address the needs of the community – what better way to do that then providing financial literacy to our youth.”