Based on conversations from Franklin County teachers, students are facing many challenges at a younger age, leading them to make life-changing decisions earlier. The Franklin County Cooperative Extension Service wanted students to be mindful of the repercussions of those decisions. Thus, the program Truth & Consequences did just that. The Franklin County Schools Dropout Prevention and Volunteer Coordinator approached the Franklin County Extension Office to host this program, which was very successful.  

The Truth & Consequences program was set up as scenarios to provide students with a simulated experience of what would happen if they found themselves in a tough situation where they had potentially made the wrong decision when it came to alcohol and controlled substance abuse.  The program also allowed students to hear from a Carrollton bus crash survivor and a local parent whose child decided to make a wrong decision, which resulted in him taking his own life.

Alongside the Extension employees and school personnel, over 40 community volunteers from all aspects of Franklin County came together to make this program successful to more than 600- 8^th grade students in Franklin County.  These volunteers serve in many areas of the community, such as health and medical professions, law enforcement officers, religious affiliations, coroner, school principals, etc. These volunteers spent their time in the simulated experience, in which the students visited based on the scenario they had drawn.  There were also 20 parent volunteers who assisted in the program by playing a parental role to students as they participated in the scenario.   

Based on the evaluation discussions after the program, over 85% of the 8^th grade students in Franklin County thought the program was beneficial, 60% of the students knew of someone their age who used alcohol or drugs, and 45% admitted to being asked to try alcohol or drugs.  

This partnership of community members, the Franklin County Extension Service, and Franklin County and Frankfort Independent School staff turned into a great success.  The students engaged in the program, became educated on how they may make educated decisions when faced with a difficult choice in the future and the proper steps to ensure their safety and the safety of others. The Franklin County Cooperative Extension Service looks forward to continuing this program in the future.