HINESVILLE, Ga. () — Dozens of middle and high school students got life lessons Saturday at the “I Can’t Wait To Grow Up” teen summit.

Held at the Snelson Golden Middle School in Hinesville, the teens were given classes on budgeting, credit cards, and health. Each student was given $2400 in mock money to spend on things such as rent, utilities and medical bills. It was an eye-opening experience for some of them.

15-year-old Jemma Case said, “I’m taking away the importance of saving money because I know I like to spend a lot.” And 16-year-old David Bacon appreciated the opportunity to learn these valuable lessons. “I think it’s very important because sometimes schools don’t teach us stuff like that,” he said.

Dr. Aurelia Moore, a Liberty County High School English teacher, and a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, an event sponsor, says, “We want to make sure that our youth are educated now so that when they grow up, they can have somewhat of a foundation and make better choices financially. That will ultimately affect our community and our society.”