MoneyIRL gives Spokane students real-world money practice
More than 1,000 high school students took part in MoneyIRL, a hands-on financial education event in Spokane.
September 2026
More than 1,000 Spokane-area high school students from 12 school districts gathered at the Spokane Convention Center for MoneyIRL, a hands-on financial education event hosted by Numerica Credit Union, Gesa Credit Union, STCU, and BECU.
MoneyIRL at a glance
1,000+ high school students
12 Spokane-area school districts
4 credit unions working together
A hands-on experience focused on real-world financial decisions
The event gave students a look at the kinds of financial decisions they may face as they complete high school and begin adulthood. Instead of just talking about budgets, students made decisions and saw how those choices affected their bottom line.
Students made the decisions
One of the main activities was the Bite of Reality® simulation.
Students were given a fictional career, income, and family situation. Then they had to build a monthly budget that covered expenses such as:
Housing
Transportation
Food
Utilities
Unexpected costs were also built into the simulation. Students had to adjust their budgets and make choices about where their money went. Optional challenges gave them even more opportunities to test what they learned.
Additional learning activities for students included:
Cashy interactive investing experience
Money Trivia
Credit Score PLINKO
Dice of Life
It was a different way to learn about money. Students weren’t just hearing about financial decisions. They were making them.
A day of learning and inspiration
MoneyIRL welcomed author and podcast host Blue Stiley, who kicked off the event with a keynote presentation that included humor, storytelling, and practical takeaways for students.
Student engagement was rewarded with the chance to take home one of more than 50 prizes, ranging from gift cards to Meta glasses to a Nintendo Switch.
Credit unions worked together
MoneyIRL also brought 4 Washington credit unions together around a shared goal: helping more young people build the skills and confidence to manage money. Volunteers from several additional local credit unions also played an important role in bringing the event to life and supporting participants throughout the day.
The collaboration reflected the credit union principle of “Cooperation Among Cooperatives,” bringing together the organizations’ resources and financial education experience to reach students across the Spokane region.
“Students can learn the basics of budgeting, saving and credit, but putting those lessons into practice is different,” said Carla Cicero, president and CEO of Numerica Credit Union. “MoneyIRL gave students a chance to make those decisions in a low-stakes setting, before they’re making them on their own. We’re proud to have been part of this effort and to work alongside other credit unions to help students prepare for what comes next.”
Helping students build their financial futures
Financial education is one way Numerica supports young people as they prepare for life after high school. The credit union also supports students through scholarships and other opportunities that help make their next steps possible.
MoneyIRL brought those efforts together in a different way. Students had a chance to practice making financial decisions and see how those decisions could add up over time.
For Numerica, that’s an important part of helping young people prepare for what’s ahead.
Written September 2026
Written by Numerica’s Community Impact and Communications Team: Helping members grow their money across Spokane, North Idaho, Wenatchee, Moses Lake and the Tri-Cities.
FREQUENTLY
ASKED QUESTIONS
WHAT IS MONEYIRL?
MoneyIRL is a hands-on financial education event where high school students practice making real-world money decisions through simulations and interactive activities.
WHAT DID STUDENTS DO AT MONEYIRL?
Students worked through fictional income, family, and expense scenarios. They made decisions about housing, transportation, food, utilities, and other costs while trying to keep their monthly budgets on track.
WHAT IS BITE OF REALITY?
Bite of Reality is an interactive financial simulation that gives students a fictional financial situation and asks them to make everyday spending decisions. Their choices affect their budgets in real time.
DOES NUMERICA OFFER OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS?
