The Webster County Cooperative Extension Service implemented Truth & Consequences: The Choice is Yours, a scenario based role-play activity designed to help students learn more about the physical, legal, financial, and emotional

consequences of substance abuse and cyber-crimes. This program is provided to 8^th grade students at the Webster County Middle School. Community partners, Family, District, and Circuit Court Judges and court officials participated in the event as volunteers. Student evaluation pre-test results revealed the following: 27% of 8^th graders at the Webster County Middle School indicated that it was slightly or not wrong at all for a parent to provide their children under the age of 21 alcohol; The post test revealed that percentage had gone down to 4%. The pre-test also showed that 37% of students did not believe a person could be held legally reliable for a cyber-crime. The post test revealed that percentage had gone down to 6%.

Comments from students included:

 -“Going to the courthouse really made it feel real. I didn’t think about how scary it could be to be in front of a Judge.”-Webster County 8^th grade student

-“I didn’t know how serious cyber-crimes were.”- a Webster County 8^th grade student after visiting the jail.

The event continues to make an impact on students each year by providing them with a first-hand look at the realities and consequences of getting involved with substance abuse and cyber-crimes.