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Charlotte County juniors recently took a crash course in financial reality, thanks to a hands-on simulation event called the Reality Store. 

Held inside Randolph-Henry High’s gymnasium, the Reality Store event gave students a glimpse into the challenges of managing adult finances. Organized through a partnership with the Virginia Tech Extension Office in Charlotte Court House, the program tasked students with balancing a budget based on a simulated career, salary, and family situation. 

Career Coach Tammy Wiley, who helped bring the program to Randolph-Henry, explained that the Reality Store is designed to teach essential life skills. 

“Students fill out a survey ahead of time about their job interests,” Wiley said. “Then, during the simulation, they’re assigned a job, an income, and sometimes even a family to support. Their task is to figure out whether they can afford the lifestyle choices they want to make.” 

Students visited stations staffed by community volunteers, where they had to make real-world decisions about housing, food, transportation, childcare, insurance, and other essential expenses. Throughout the exercise, students were forced to rethink some of their assumptions about adult life.

Why focus on juniors?

The Reality Store targeted juniors because many of them had already completed their personal finance class their sophomore year, giving them the chance to put their classroom learning into practice.

“This is a way for them to connect what they’ve learned with real-world application,” Wiley said. “It’s one thing to learn about budgeting in theory. It’s another to be standing in front of a housing booth and realizing you can’t afford a luxury apartment on your salary.”

Some students who started the event with a casual attitude quickly changed their mindset once they faced tight budgets. Wiley recalled one student who initially aimed for a large home and a new car but ended up revising their plans after realizing their paycheck wouldn’t stretch that far!

“They had to backtrack, choose a more affordable house and used vehicle, and really thin =k about what they could live without,” Wiley said. “Those are valuable lessons.”

The Reality Store not only made a lasting impression on students but also strengthened ties between the school and the Charlotte community. Local volunteers helped staff each station, providing real-world perspectives and advice as students made their choices. “The community involvement shows students that adults are invested in their futures and it brings a lot of real-world experience to the simulation,” Wiley said. 

“The Extension Office is an incredible resource, and programs like this are readily available. We’d love to see more community members and schools get involved.” Wiley said the Virginia Tech Extension Office provides all the materials needed to run the event and heavily encourages more schools to take advantage of the program. 

A positive experience in Charlotte County

Overall, Wiley described the students’ reactions as overwhelmingly positive. Even those who were reluctant at first found themselves deeply engaged by the end of the simulation. “This kind of experience can spark a lot of important conversations about future career paths, financial goals, and making smart decisions early,” she said. 

With strong community support and an enthusiastic student response, Wiley hopes the Reality Store will become a lasting tradition at Randolph-Henry High School.