Career-Connections at C6C

The Coleman 6th-Grade Campus has created the City of Chance.  It is an innovative, hands-on approach to financial literacy where sixth graders become “citizens” of their own society. Guided by their teacher, Erin Lachance, and the Social Contract, students learn responsibility, accountability, and real-world money management through daily experiences.

Each day begins with a check-in led by Mayor Meche. Students take attendance, clock in, and prepare for work. They hold jobs such as attorney, judge, police officer, nurse, technician, and more—earning hourly pay, Paid Time Off (PTO), and bonuses for good citizenship.

Citizens must balance income with deductions and expenses. They pay taxes, health insurance, and rent, while also managing expenses such as student loans and attorney fees. Being tardy or absent reduces both pay and PTO, thereby reinforcing the importance of responsibility.

Every day spotlights a financial concept—salary vs. hourly pay, paycheck review, savings, retirement planning, credit, stock market basics, job skills, and more.

In the Court of Chance, students may face tickets for infractions such as trespassing or disturbing the peace. They must hire an attorney, attend court, and if fined, meet with the banker to pay fees. These expenses are reflected on their weekly expense sheets, showing the real cost of poor choices.

Through jobs, paychecks, expenses, and even courtroom consequences, students experience the financial and personal decisions that shape adult life. The City of Chance is more than a simulation—it’s a community that prepares students to be responsible, informed citizens of the future.