Future Forward Activities

Objective: Provide hands-on practice in budgeting, time management, and professional communication, giving 12th graders a realistic preview of post-high school challenges.

Materials:

• Budgeting Worksheet
• Time Management Worksheet
• Career Communication Scenarios
• Fake money, calculators, and envelopes
• Timers or stopwatches
• Notebooks and pens

1. Budgeting Role-Play (25 minutes)

Grouping: Teams of 3–4 students

Instructions:

1. Distribute a copy of the Budgeting Worksheet to each group, along with fake money and envelopes labeled “Rent,” “Utilities,” “Groceries,” and “Savings.”
2. Assign each group a monthly income scenario (e.g., entry-level job earning $1,800/month).
3. Groups must allocate funds across categories, record decisions on the worksheet, and identify one expense to reduce if they run short.
4. After 15 minutes, each group presents:
   • Their final budget breakdown
   • One tough trade-off they made
   • One strategy for increasing savings

Guiding Questions:

• Which expense was hardest to cut and why?
• How would an unexpected $200 car repair change your allocations?

Follow-Up:
Collect each group’s worksheet for quick review. Highlight effective cost-cutting ideas (e.g., shared housing, meal prepping).

2. Weekly Time Management Planning (20 minutes)

Grouping: Individual work, then pairs

Instructions:

1. Hand out the Time Management Worksheet to each student.
2. Students spend 8 minutes filling in a realistic weekly schedule, balancing:
   • Class times
   • Part-time job or extracurriculars
   • Study/homework blocks
   • Self-care and free time
3. After 8 minutes, students pair up and compare schedules for 5 minutes.
4. Ask pairs to identify one overlap or conflict and suggest a solution.

Guiding Questions:

• What tasks took more time than you expected?
• How could you adjust your plan if work hours increase?

Follow-Up:
Invite two pairs to share major insights. Emphasize flexibility and buffer times (e.g., 15-minute breaks).

3. Interview & Elevator Pitch Practice (25 minutes)

Grouping: Pairs, then switched roles

Instructions:

1. Provide each pair with a scenario from the Career Communication Scenarios.
2. Student A plays the interviewer; Student B is the applicant. Applicant crafts a 60-second elevator pitch using provided bullet points.
3. Conduct a 3-minute mock interview, including:
   • Greeting and handshake (real or simulated)
   • Elevator pitch
   • Two common questions (e.g., “Tell me about a time you overcame a challenge.”)
4. After 7 minutes, partners switch roles and repeat with a new scenario.

Guiding Questions:

• How did your tone and body language support your pitch?
• Which answer felt strongest and why?

Follow-Up:
Teacher circulates to give on-the-spot feedback. At the end, note one tip each student can apply in a real interview.

4. Whole-Class Reflection (10 minutes)

Prompt:

• Which activity pushed you outside your comfort zone?
• What one habit will you start this week to improve your budgeting, scheduling, or communication?

Budgeting Worksheet

Name: ____________________________ Date: ___________

Scenario:
Your monthly take-home income is $ __________.

Use the table below to plan and track your expenses. After filling in your budgeted amounts, record the actual expenses and calculate the difference.

Reflection Questions

1. Which category required the biggest adjustment from your planned budget? Why did you make that choice?

1. Imagine an unexpected $200 car repair comes up. Which expense(s) would you reduce to cover this cost? Explain your reasoning.

1. What strategies can you implement to increase your monthly savings over time? List at least two practical ideas.

1. How does creating and sticking to a budget help you feel more prepared for post–high school life?

Time Management Worksheet

Name: ____________________________ Date: ___________

Weekly Schedule Planner

Fill in your typical weekly activities in the chart below. Use abbreviations or symbols as needed.

Reflection Questions

1. Which day of the week is busiest for you, and what makes it so?

1. Identify one scheduling conflict you noticed. How could you resolve or avoid it?

1. How will you carve out daily time for self-care or exercise? List two specific time slots.

1. When unexpected tasks come up, what strategy will you use to adjust without losing focus on priorities?

1. What one habit will you commit to this week to improve your time management?

Career Communication Scenarios

Name: ____________________________ Date: ___________

Elevator Pitch Guidelines

Before diving into your scenario, draft a 30–60 second pitch. Include:

• Your name and background or major
• Two key strengths or experiences
• What you’re looking for or what you can offer
• A closing “ask” or goal (e.g., next steps)

Pitch Outline:

• Hi, I’m ____________, I recently ____________.
• I have experience in ____________ and ____________.
• I’m excited to bring ____________ to this role because ____________.
• I’d love to ____________.

Your Elevator Pitch:

Scenario 1: Retail Sales Associate

Context: You’re interviewing at TrendStyle Boutique, a local clothing store known for personalized customer service. The manager wants to see how you connect with customers and solve problems.

1. Deliver your elevator pitch here:

1. Interview Questions:
   a. Why do you want to work at TrendStyle Boutique?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   b. Describe a time you provided excellent customer service. What was the outcome?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   c. How would you handle an upset or demanding customer?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Scenario 2: Marketing Internship

Context: You’ve applied for a summer internship with BrightWave Marketing Agency. They want creativity, teamwork, and data skills to help plan a social media campaign.

1. Deliver your elevator pitch here:

1. Interview Questions:
   a. What marketing project are you most proud of, and why?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   b. How do you incorporate feedback into your work?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   c. If given a limited budget for a campaign, what three tactics would you prioritize?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Scenario 3: Freelance Graphic Designer Gig

Context: A small startup needs a freelance designer for branding and social posts. They value creativity, reliability, and clear communication.

1. Deliver your elevator pitch here:

1. Interview Questions:
   a. How do you approach a new branding project from concept to delivery?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   b. Tell me about a time you missed a deadline. How did you handle it?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   c. How do you ensure client feedback is incorporated without losing your creative vision?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Reflection & Next Steps

1. Which scenario felt most challenging, and why?

1. What one verbal or nonverbal skill will you improve before your next mock interview?

1. How can you adapt your elevator pitch to different audiences? Give one example.