Girl Scouts host Reality Fair at Molloy University to learn about finance

The Girl Scouts of Nassau County really do mean business. To help empower young scouts, the organization hosted a Reality Fair at Molloy University in Rockville Centre on April 13, focused on financial literacy.

The Reality Fair, hosted by the Girl Leadership Committee, was designed to empower Girl Scouts to take control of their financial futures and make informed decisions, preparing them for success as they grow into adulthood.

It was an interactive event that provided participating Girl Scouts the opportunity to learn practical financial management skills and how to apply them to real-world scenarios in a realistic simulation.

Through a variety of engaging activities the girls learned about the five essential principles of financial literacy — earning, saving/investing, protecting, spending, and borrowing — as well as budgeting, bank account management, obtaining loans, and managing debt.

More than 20 different Girl Scouts from Nassau County actively participated in financial simulations and decision-making exercises, experiencing what it is like to open a bank account, making decisions about how to spend their money wisely, obtaining a loan, and the importance of effectively managing debt.

One of the key benefits of the Reality Fair, was how it empowered girls to be proactive about their financial well-being. By gaining practical experience and knowledge in the financial field, the Girl Scouts came out of the fair feeling more confident about making financial decisions in the future.

Only 17 states in the country require financial education to graduate high school, as of March 2023. The majority of these only have access to it as an elective course.

In the other 33 states, which do not require a personal finance course, only one in ten high school students will take a finance course before graduating.

In New York, specifically, 44.8 percent of students have access to one semester of financial courses as an elective, while 49.4 percent of students have access to financial literacy embedded in other courses for less than one semester.

Due to the lack of financial education required by the state, the Girl Scouts of Nassau County took the initiative to promote these practical skills among young girls by providing them with the necessary tools to navigate their own finances.  The Reality Fair not only equipped participants with essential life skills but also instilled a sense of empowerment and self-reliance as participants begin to navigate the complexities of the adult world.

Financial literacy is a crucial aspect of personal development, and the Girl Scouts of Nassau County are committed to providing girls with the tools and resources that are needed for success. The Reality Fair represented a valuable opportunity for Girl Scouts to learn, grow, and become more confident in their abilities to manage their finances responsibly.