In March 2024, Calloway County 4-H hosted a Reality Store financial simulation event for the Murray City and Calloway County 7th and 10th graders. The goal of the event was to increase youth financial awareness and provide them tools to make great life and financial decisions. Each of the four school FRYSC coordinators partnered with Calloway 4-H planning the event and 92 community volunteers from many different businesses and community programs worked the booths. Over the two day event, 648 students participated in the real-life simulation to learn how to efficiently manage their hypothetical base salary of 34k per year into a 1 month budget. Students were all given the same salary, but drew for their number of children and chose whether or not they were married. After visiting the Bank booth first and having taxes and savings withdrawn from their monthly budget, students then visited booths for utilities, groceries, phone and internet, housing, and more. Volunteers assisted students when they had financial trouble or needed to make budget adjustments. 

After the event, students were surveyed for input regarding the Reality Store event. They included comments like, "I learned what my parents are going through" and, "It made me realize how to save and spend money".  Many students commented that it was a fun way to learn how to manage their money and "put in perspective how life isn't easy".