Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic High School juniors Jozef Perock and Lawren Szilagy, right, speak with USX Credit Union members about financial responsibility Oct. 27 in the school's auditorium.

CRANBERRY TWP — Students at Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic High School got the opportunity to learn about the value of using money responsibly Oct. 27.

They took part in a financial reality tour held by the USX Credit Union.

In the program, students chose a career in which they were provided a typical entry-level salary customized for their geographic area and then budgeted their monthly expenses to make ends meet.

Students had to find a place to live, obtain transportation and pay for food and other essentials.

As in the real world, entertainment and other non-essential service opportunities were available.

Students also spun a “Wheel of Reality” to receive one of life’s surprises, such as the unexpected expense of a flat tire.

Students documented their income and expenses during the exercise and balanced their budget for the month, reviewing their final budget with a financial counselor.

More than 30 credit union employees were at the school to run the event.

About 90 percent of the students said they are likely or very likely to begin saving and 72 percent said a credit score is very important.