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December 4, 2023

Huntley High School sophomores Ashton Figgieri, left and Pawel Krystopa meet with Mary C. Caporale, vice president retail banking manager at Algonquin Bank & Trust, during the Game of Life event at Huntley High School.
Steve Peterson
Huntley High School sophomores Ashton Figgieri, left and Pawel Krystopa meet with Mary C. Caporale, vice president retail banking manager at Algonquin Bank & Trust, during the Game of Life event at Huntley High School.

Features • December 4, 2023

HHS sophs learn economics pointers

By

HUNTLEY— About 200 Huntley High School sophomores learned about financial aspects of life they may never have considered before at the Huntley Area Chamber of Commerce and HHS Game of Life event Nov. 30.

Students talked with Huntley business owners whose careers ranged from finance, to real estate and veterinarian. They learned about housing, 401Ks, and importance of good credit, to name a few topics covered. Students researched the careers for salary and education information and selected such factors as the family situation, housing, child care and other costs.

HHS students were mostly sophomores taking the one semester Personal Finance Class and Consumer Education classes, which is an Illinois high school graduation requirement.

“The Game of Life gives students a real connection to the community,” HHS teacher Nick Wedoff, D158’s Career and Technical Education Department Chair, said. “Tomorrow in class we will talk about what they learned and options which may influence their choices.”

A total of 12 business leaders shared their knowledge and six volunteered to give views on other industries. Students, business leaders, the Huntley Area Chamber and D158 all praised the second annual The Game of Life event.

“The Game of Life event was a success,” Nancy Binger, Huntley Area Chamber of Commerce Director said. “Watching the students’ curiosity and engagement as they gained invaluable insights from our Chamber volunteers was remarkable. We are grateful for our partnership with Huntley High School and are looking forward to doing this event again each semester.”

“It was a lot of fun,” said Huntley Chamber of Commerce Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors Chairman for 2023 and Century 21 New Heritage Realtor Bob Panek. “The students asked a lot of good questions. Some realized that the career path they have chosen might not be the best for them financially.”

Student Ashton Friggieri is already in the business world, as he runs “Original Sin”, a clothing business which is online for six months. His mom, Mary Hoplzkopf, owns Blessed Little Kitchen in Huntley, and encourages him. “Just that you have to work hard at it and put in the effort,” he said.

Karen Owens, who works as a marketing and community outreach staffer for a chiropractor’s office, presented information on costs of food and clothing. “I worked at “The Game of Life” last year and it was awesome. The students get a reality check as to the costs, even if they are ‘moderate’ in spending.”

Mary C. Caporale, vice president and retail banking manager at Algonquin Bank & Trust, a Wintrust Community Bank, told students about credit rating, 401Ks, credit cards and checking accounts.

“You can use credit cards and debit cards for budgeting purposes; it’s your livelihood. We tell students that you should pay a credit card as soon as you use it, and that it is real important to keep your account in good standing,” Caporale said.

Huntley D158 Director of Communications Denise Barr released a press release statement summed up the day at Central Gym from the district’s perspective.

“We would like to give a huge shout out to the Huntley Area Chamber of Commerce for hosting The Game of Life event and thank the local businesses who participated,” the D158 statement read. “This event allowed HHS students to apply what they are learning in class to real-life scenarios, helping them gain a better understanding of finances and budgeting and what it takes to buy a house, raise a child, etc. In addition, this unique opportunity allowed students to network with local business professionals and learn more about potential career opportunities right here in McHenry County.”

Game of Life participants
Businesses which sent representatives were: State Farm Insurance, Chad Radke; U-Nique Accounting; Prairie State Community Bank; Huntley Veterinary Hospital; Edward Jones, Bob Gajewski; Century 21; Pet Vet Animal Clinic; Healthcare Solutions Team; Fairway Independent Mortgage Company; Algonquin Bank and Trust; Leading Financial Services and the Data Group.

Some businesses had representatives volunteering to help with industries not represented by a specific business were: ASKHRT; About Your Home Inspection; Illinois State Representative Community Outreach; Huntley School District D158; A to Z Chiropractic and First Light Home Care.