“It was fun, but it’s a lot of work being an adult!” said one local middle school student who recently participated in the OSU Extension signature program Real Money, Real World. This is a pretty common takeaway from participants of the program, which is made possible through a partnership with OSU Extension personnel in Franklin County to bring the program to schools and other organizations that provide education to youth in grades K-12, teaching financial literacy skills through classroom lessons and an interactive spending simulation. 

Last month OSU Extension, Franklin County personnel taught more than 1,500 youth in schools and nonprofit organizations in Columbus, Westerville, and Hilliard, giving them the opportunity to make a monthly budget based on their income and lifestyle decisions, including transportation, housing, food costs, and entertainment. 

For more information about the Real Money, Real World program, or to learn how you can bring the program to your school or organization, click here.