In the spring of 2019, the Lewis County Middle School Counselor ask the 4-H agent to do the program “Reality Store.” The Lewis County Extension Office collaborated with the Lewis County Youth Services Center to offer the program to 183 seventh grade students. It was important to do the program because youth need to learn skills that will help them when they get out of school and need to make decisions on how to spend their money. “Kentucky 4-H believes that all youth should have opportunities for positive youth development in our four guiding concepts: mastery, belonging, independence, and generosity.”  This program fosters mastery by learning wise consumer practices, decision-making, budgeting, how credit works, and how to prepare for an employable future. Using the curriculum "It’s Your Reality" a series of lessons was taught on setting goals, budgeting, decision-making, how credit works, and preparing for employment in the future. At the end of the series of lessons and the final “Reality Store” a survey was conducted of participants.  The greatest increase in knowledge were:

1. Impact of credit card debt (+ 36%)
2. Cost of raising a child (+ 34%)  
3. Budgeting money (+ 31%)

In addition, the students increased scores related wise financial choices, linking career choice and lifestyle, cost of maintaining a household, how money influences lifestyle, and benefits of saving for the future.