Instead of the usual grating of pencils on paper or dull hum of concentration, laughter and excitement fill the air in the social studies classroom. Students lean over laptops debating apartment prices, arguing over insurance benefits and pay rapt attention to their pay stub. This isn’t just another assignment—it’s life simulated.

“It is a Personal Financial Literacy project that focuses on simulating entering the adult world after finishing college,” PFL teacher Ms. Stephanie Ruvalcaba said. “Students will go through the process of finding a job, opening up bank accounts, picking an appropriate credit card, finding a home and deciding on transportation all for the purpose of knowing how to make smart financial decisions.”

Unlike traditional lectures or worksheets, students navigate these real-world skills and situations through a blend of collaboration, hands-on decision-making and a touch of reality in a semester-spanning experience titled “The Sims Project.”

“Most of the decisions can be boring, and just doing lecture activity-style teaching wouldn’t be engaging,” Ruvalcaba said.

Thanks to this, the classroom buzzes with a unique energy as students dive into their “Sim Profiles.” Some gasp in exasperation when they’re assigned an unexpected coverage plan, while others laugh in excitement over landing their dream job. Whether creating a unique character or stepping into the shoes of their older selves, students tackle real-world challenges from selecting an insurance plan to understanding tax withholdings. Each student also builds a personal website to document their choices and showcase their simulated life.

“I think all classes should have hands-on projects like this, because it gives you the time to actually do what you’re learning, not just listen,” senior Lylah Duffy said. “I think the project really helps you retain the information.”

Though still evolving, Ruvalcaba plans to grow “The Sims Project” into something that adapts and transforms year after year, continuously improving as a tool for students.

“I hope to show students how to budget, make smart financial decisions and just expose them to things that many, especially in past generations, had to learn in a trial-by-fire method,” Ruvalcaba said.

 By combining creativity, collaboration, and real-world decision making, the project gives students a glimpse into adulthood that worksheets and lectures never could. Even if students don’t remember every detail, the experience leaves them better prepared to navigate the financial and personal decisions that lie beyond the classroom.