UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Young people leaving the nest are particularly vulnerable to making shaky decisions. Teachers, home schoolers or parents may be interested in a new 4-H curriculum that teaches high school students how to choose and rent their first apartment.

"Most of us learn about renting the hard way -- by going out and doing it," says Jan Scholl, associate professor of ag and extension education in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences. "'The Rent Event' curriculum offers one of the few systematic ways kids can learn how to rent."

Using games, checklists and activities, young people learn how to choose the apartment that's right for them. They also learn to read the fine print in the lease -- including the ten danger clauses to watch out for.

Participants also learn to answer such questions as, "Should I get renters' insurance?" "What are my rights and responsibilities as a tenant?" and "What do I need to have in writing?"

They also learn how to furnish their apartment within a budget, design the interior using furniture cutouts and room layouts, get connected with services such as cable and telephone, solve cleaning and maintenance problems, choose a good roommate and write a tenancy agreement.

For more information on "The Rent Event" program, contact your county Penn State Cooperative Extension office. To find your local extension office, visit the World Wide Web at http://www.extension.psu.edu/CountyList.html or check the county government pages of your phone directory.

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EDITORS: Jan Scholl can be reached at 814-863-7444.

Contacts: Kim Dionis KDionis@psu.edu 814-863-2703 814-865-1068 fax