Problem: Financial awareness of high school students

Program: It's Your Reality

Partners: Heritage Christian Academy

Participants: Business Math Students

Proof of impact: Students making financially sound decisions during simulation

For several years the "It's Your Reality" financial management program has been offered to ninth-grade students of the local public high schools. While the program has been successful and beneficial to those students, expanding the program into other local schools was a goal for the 2018-2019 program year. 

In the fall of 2019, I met with the Business Math teacher at Heritage Christian Academy about how we could partner to provide curriculum enrichment to her students. The "It's Your Reality" program was discussed and we determined that due to the timeframe of when she would be teaching curriculum that paired up with the program, we would be able to offer the simulation in the same month as when it is offered to the other schools. 

As a result of the program, thirty-five students that typically would not receive 4-H programming were given that opportunity. Thirty-five students were provided the opportunity to practice lessons learned in the classroom while making financial decisions to best benefit their family. Those same thirty-five students, who drew for their career/salary and family scenarios, all ended the simulation with money remaining. 

By successfully partnering with the teacher, the 4-H program now has a "foot in the door"  and is in the works of planning other programs at the school.