18-04-2025
Heartland Community College students engage in poverty simulation
NORMAL, Ill. (WMBD) — Students at Heartland Community College took part in a Community Action Poverty Simulation to give some insight into complexities and challenges of poverty.
It was a classroom exercise where students were assigned a family and had to deal with life issues like paying bills, childcare and how to deal with other issues. Every 15 minutes was considered a week within the simulation.
'With the increase in poverty in our community, we feel this simulation is an opportunity for our students to learn about and better understand those currently experiencing poverty,' said Martha Stearns, an associate professor within the college's Health Sciences department.
She also served as the simulation's facilitator.
'Health Sciences students in particular benefit from the exercise to understand what barriers patients could potentially be going through, and how that could impact their care,' she said.
Each 'week,' the students had to navigate limited resources, interact with essential community services, and experience the difficult choices that many face daily.
Within the state, 1.5 million people currently live in poverty, which impacts not only their health but also the way they utilize the healthcare system.
This story will be updated.
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