The It's Your Reality Program, a financial management program implemented with 8th graders at Robert D. Campbell Junior High School, has been happening in Clark County for several years. It addresses the need for junior high school students to learn budgeting and financial management skills. The Clark County 4-H and FCS agents collaborated with the Youth Service Center Coordinator at RDC to implement this program on November 16th, 2021.  Nearly 400 8th grade students participated in the program along with more than 20 volunteers from the community. The students watched a video recorded by the FCS agent that explained needs vs. wants as well as budgeting. They then took their 'income' and visited booths in the gym that represented actual items they would have to purchase throughout a month. For example, they had to choose housing and transportation options along with how much groceries to purchase based on their family size. 

A pre and post survey was given to gauge the impact of this program. Nearly 80% of respondents indicated they learned something new from this program. The pre survey indicated that a little over 50% of the students indicated they had an above average understanding of how to budget. That number rose to nearly 80% of respondents having an above average understanding of how to budget after completing the program. 

Several of the students anecdotally reported learning a great deal as well. One student said "I enjoyed how they made it seem like real life and they made you make real decisions like you would in real life" while another said "I learned that money goes quick."