Our 2025–2026 Test Drive…Next Stop Reality® (Test Drive) events were some of our most impactful yet—bringing hands-on financial education to high school students across multiple communities and reinforcing the importance of real-world money management skills. This year also marked a special milestone: the first year the Royal Credit Union (RCU) Foundation proudly sponsored Test Drive, helping to expand our reach and deepen our impact.
Through interactive simulations, students stepped into adult life—making budgeting decisions, managing expenses, and experiencing the financial trade-offs that come with independence. With seven events taking place across Wisconsin and Minnesota, hundreds of volunteers and educators came together to guide students through this eye-opening experience.
This year we took Test Drive on the road to the following events:
October 2025 – Eau Claire County
Participating schools: Eau Claire North, Memorial, Regis, Altoona, Anthony Acres, Bloomer, Fall Creek, McKinley, Mondovi
November 2025 – Stillwater Area High School
Participants: Stillwater Junior Class
December 2025 – White Bear Lake Area High School
Participants: White Bear Lake Junior Class
March 2026 – Abbotsford High School/Colby High School
Participants: Abbotsford and Colby high school students
April 2026 – Eau Claire County
Participating schools: Eau Claire North, Memorial, Regis, Altoona, Augusta, Chippewa Falls, Fall Creek, McDonell
April 2026 – Barron County
Participating schools: Barron, Birchwood, Cameron, Prairie Farm, Rice Lake
May 2026 – Hudson High School
Participants: Hudson Personal Finance students
Through these seven events, we brought the Test Drive experience to over 2,600 students with the support of nearly 800 volunteers. We would like to thank everyone who shared their time and expertise in making these events possible for students—we couldn’t offer this event without the support of our volunteers and school partners!
We would also like to acknowledge and thank the following partners who sponsor Test Drive through the RCU Foundation: Brown & Brown, Cornerstone Advisors, Experian™, Fiserv, TruStage™, Allied Solutions®, MTS Group LLC, Q2, TrustPoint, VISA, Abrigo™, D.Hilton Associates Inc., Market & Johnson, N Contracts, Pulse®, RevlTek, TriVerity®, Umacha, Delta Dental of Wisconsin, Inc., Radian Guaranty, and the family of Bonnie Block.
