WARE, Mass. (WWLP) – The Country Bank’s Credit for Life Fair for high school seniors was held Wednesday morning at Ware Junior Senior High School. Students got a taste of real-life financial situations at the event.

The fair, hosted by Ware Public Schools, invited high school seniors from Ware, Palmer, Pathfinder and Belchertown. Before these students graduate, they now have a sampling of how to sort out their finances, so they don’t become stress.

“Credit for life is a fabulous opportunity for high school seniors to partake in role-playing a 25-year-old adult. They’re having to make financial choices today based on their credit score that they receive and the salary that they’re given, and they visit 14 booths to make a financial choice on the lifestyle that they want to live in the future,” said Jodie Gerulaitis, VP of Community Relations at Country Bank.

The Credit for Life Fair equips students with the kinds of skills needed to make responsible financial decisions. It does this by giving students mock salaries, savings and credit accounts, and student loan payments. 22News spoke with a couple students who expressed gratitude for the event.

“I plan on going to college for pre-med and I have no idea what I’m doing with money, so I really have to learn. I don’t know anything about loans so I’m going to hope to learn something about that too,” said Spencer, a senior a Pathfinder Technical High School.

“It’s a big step going forward as a senior, and obviously four years down the line, these are real things so I think it’s really exciting that we get this opportunity to have something like this,” said Ethan, a senior a Palmer High School.