Brookhaven High School freshman Calvin Bruage thought he had itall figured out.

But then on Friday morning, the 14-year-old and the other BHSfreshmen went to Reality Town and had a reality check. Earning andmanaging money as an adult may be a little more complicated afterall.

“I had no idea. I had to pay $350 a month for groceries,” Bruagesaid while staring at his checkbook register. “I was thinking aboutgoing to Burger King every day.”

Bruage was one of 500 freshmen from every ninth-grade class inLincoln County who rotated through the three-day fair last week,getting a hands-on feel for what it takes to make money and buyessentials in the real world. The event is designed to showstudents the correlation between their high school academicperformance and the expected average earnings of young adults inMississippi, with A students bringing in around $1,900 per monthand failing students or dropouts earning slightly less than$1,000.

Armed with a checkbook and calculator, students used theirgrades-based “income” to buy essentials like food, insurance andhousing, while dealing with unforeseen expenses like flat tires.Some students used their straight As and big incomes to live large- others had to squeak by.

The point wasn’t lost on Bruage. He plans to make good use ofhis next three years in high school.

“Every little thing counts,” he said. “I’m going to have to domy best. I’m not about just getting by.”

Jonah Hill, 14, took Reality Town seriously even before hearrived. He took it even more seriously when he left.

“I thought they were just going to talk to us, but this is basedon life,” he said. “You can’t buy everything you want. Gotta’ getthem grades up.”

Brandi Norris, 15, was so immersed in practicing for adult lifeand making her money stretch she may have let it get to her – a$480 per month house payment cut a big chunk out of her money.

“I’m going to live with my parents,” she said flatly. “I’mlosing a lot of money. You really have to choose wisely.”

Fifteen-year-old Shelby Case, meanwhile, realized the horror ofsuch a scenario.

“You won’t always be able to run to your parents,” she said.”I’m already doing good (in school), but I’m going to do better soI can get everything I need and want.”

BHS Principal Dr. Jay Smith could tell Reality Town was asuccess for his freshman class – there was nothing for him to do.His students were involved, deep in mathematical thought, andlearning the rules of the real game.

“Any time you get this many kids engaged, it’s a worthwhileevent,” Smith said. “It’s worth doing again.”

The Junior Auxiliary of Brookhaven hosted Reality Town, and clubpresident Emily Henderson said the event might return for nextyear’s freshman class after interest in the program from studentsand sponsors was off the charts.

“I don’t think we have a choice. There are more businesses nowthat want to be involved in this, and they have so many goodideas,” she said.

Henderson said ideas are already stewing for next year,including providing more information on career paths, including themilitary; a wider variety of businesses and services for sale; andmore time preparing in the classroom. Ideas from the students whoparticipated this year may also be gathered, she said.

“I think we need to kind of let this hit the kids, let themsleep on it and then go back and ask them what they thought,” shesaid.

Brookhaven-Lincoln County Chamber of Commerce volunteer andMississippi Scholars point man Kenny Goza said the event showed howparents often take for granted their children’s knowledge of howlife will work beyond high school. Last week’s fair was a greaticebreaker, he said, and the already growing interest in nextyear’s event will further the cause.

“It further affirms the fact this community gets behind its kidsand education,” he said.