The life of a high school senior is full major life-changing decisions: selecting a college, picking a major, choosing a career path, and moving out. Although today’s adolescents are technologically advanced, they sometimes lack basic practical living skills. After being approached by school officials with this very same concern, the Family Consumer Sciences Agent and Family Resource Director at Powell County High School teamed up to create an Adulting 101 program for the senior class students.

The Adulting 101 program will have four sessions, each focusing on a different topic, throughout the fall and spring semesters. The four topics include: finance, nutrition, home environment, and basic life skills. The sessions will consist of 4-6 workshops that the students will rotate through in small groups. The first session took place on October 14, 2021, covering personal finance. 162 seniors participated in workshops led by community partners on basic budgeting, paychecks, interview skills, credit, and voting registration.  

Out of the surveys completed, 85% of the students said that the skills they learned would be beneficial to their life after high school. Seniors that participated in the program said they gained confidence on how to budget their money, interview for a job, and understanding their credit scores. Students also made suggestions for additional sessions they would like to see such as filing taxes, home maintenance, and health insurance.  We look forward to continuing Adulting 101 as a reoccurring program that will benefit the graduating youth of Powell County.