The Senior Year Sprint
Senior year is expensive. You have a starting balance of $500 and your well-being (Energy) is at 100%.
Your goal is to survive 12 months. Keep your bank account above $0 and do not burn out. Smart planning uses the 50/30/20 rule: 50% for needs, 30% for wants, and 20% for savings or debt.
You cannot afford everything. Choose wisely.
Scenario Title
Scenario description goes here.
Certificate of Financial
Fitness
This certifies that
Student Name
Has successfully navigated the financial pressures of the Senior Year Sprint. Demonstrating a practical understanding of budgeting, opportunity cost, and the balance between capital and well-being.
Senior Year Sprint: Financial Reality Game
High school seniors face a sudden transition from relying on their parents to managing their own expenses. The Senior Year Sprint forces students to navigate the financial realities of their final year of high school. The game provides a starting bank balance and a simulated part-time job income. Over the course of nine months, players must make choices about prom, yearbooks, gas money, and weekend entertainment. Every decision impacts their cash flow. If they overspend in October, they will not have enough to cover mandatory fees in May.
Teachers can deploy this simulator as a capstone activity in personal finance or economics classes. It removes the lecture format and replaces it with direct consequences. Students learn that budgeting is not about restriction; it is about prioritization. Adults can use this tool at home to initiate grounded conversations with teens about money management before they leave for college or enter the workforce. It provides a safe environment to fail and learn from financial mistakes without incurring actual debt.
