Extension, City of Little Rock host ‘Get Real’ financial simulation for nearly 500 youth
July 14, 2026
By Rebekah Hall
University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture
Fast Facts
- ‘Get Real’ is hands-on simulation with 12 financial education stations
- Nearly 500 teens, young adults practiced budgeting, balancing checkbooks
- Participants involved with Little Rock’s Summer Youth Employment Opportunity program
(985 words)
Download photos from “Get Real” event
LITTLE ROCK — Little Rock resident Takora Russell gained hands-on budgeting skills through the extension “Get Real” financial simulation as a participant in the city’s Summer Youth Employment Opportunity program.
Russell, 19, was one of more than 480 participants of the City of Little Rock’s Summer Youth Employment Opportunity program who attended the “Get Real” event on July 9 at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
“Get Real” is a program of the Cooperative Extension Service, part of the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture. It includes 12 interactive stations that teach financial decision making. In 2025, extension family and consumer sciences agents facilitated 46 “Get Real” programs throughout the state.
At the start of the simulation, participants were randomly assigned an occupation, salary, number of family members and tax deductions. They then had to choose a food plan, pick out a car, sign up for insurance and decide whether to rent or buy a home, with the goal of balancing their checkbook after navigating all the stations.
This is the second year that Russell has participated in the Little Rock’s summer program, which collaborated with extension to host the “Get Real” simulation for the first time in 2025.
“Last time I had a totally different job and a different budget, which was harder than the career I got assigned this year,” Russell said. “I like the idea of it, having to budget things out and to know, ‘I need these things first, and then I need to worry about these other things.’
“Last year, I was getting all the stuff that I thought I needed, and it made my budget go down faster,” Russell said. “This year, I’m more focused. My career assignment is to be a single psychologist, so I’m going to get a one-bedroom apartment so I don’t overspend. With food, I went moderate. With clothing, I don’t need the nicest package, but I still need to look professional, so I also chose the moderate level. It gave me a new perspective.”
Building financial literacy skills
The Summer Youth Employment Opportunity is a six-week paid work experience program for Little Rock youth ages 16-21 from June to July. About two-thirds of the worksites are in city departments, state and county offices, colleges and nonprofits, while more than 30 percent of the worksites are with private-sector partners, such as law offices and dental practices.
The program is one of several prevention, intervention and treatment programs offered by the City of Little Rock Department of Community Programs. Jacqueline Eaves, community programs resources manager for the City of Little Rock, said the decision to have interns participate in the “Get Real” simulation was a natural fit for the program’s goals.
“With this financial literacy education, you’re giving your students the opportunity to think about things they may not have considered at an early age,” Eaves said.
As part of their summer internship experience, Eaves said it was important to offer participants hands-on educational opportunities in building important life skills.
“For many of these youth, this is their first employment opportunity,” Eaves said. “At this point in the summer, they’ve received a check or two, so ‘Get Real’ helps expand their perspectives — it’s not just about you and what you want. A lot of them are saving for back-to-school expenses, but this helps them start thinking more globally about their futures.
“This asks them to think about, ‘What kind of life do you really want?’” Eaves said. “I’m big on that — opening their eyes to what’s possible, and the reality of what things cost.”
Devyn Britt, extension family and consumer sciences personal finance program associate for the Division of Agriculture, said the simulation’s “It Could Happen” station asked participants to draw a card with a random unexpected financial scenario.
“This could be getting emergency dental work or a flat tire,” Britt said. “It helps show them that there are often unexpected expenses they will have to deal with and emphasizes the importance of having money set aside for those surprise scenarios.”
Community volunteers led each of the 12 education stations, including staff from the Central Arkansas Library System’s Be Mighty anti-hunger campaign, staff from Get Loud Arkansas, an outreach specialist from the Little Rock Fire Department, representatives from Teen Health Arkansas, First Security Bank, the City of Little Rock Housing and Neighborhood Programs Department and the director of the City of Little Rock’s new Office of Financial Empowerment.
“We couldn’t do this without our community partners or our host, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock,” Eaves said. “A big part of everything that we do is to help our young people open their minds to opportunities that are here in Little Rock, and this is a great way for them to be exposed to those.”
Real-world impact
Alicia Boatwright, Pulaski County extension family and consumer sciences agent for the Division of Agriculture, said “Get Real” is an eye-opening experience for many participants.
“For a lot of them, it’s all about real life and realizing how expensive kids can be,” Boatwright said. “Many of them walk away with a greater appreciation for their parents or guardians. They say, ‘Wow, I don’t want kids right now,’ and they really think about their career choices as a result of the program.”
Britt said during a past “Get Real” simulation, one of the participants received a career assignment that was the same as his mother’s profession.
“He went through all of the stations with a similar salary and number of children as his mother actually has, and at the end of it, he was amazed,” Britt said. “He said, ‘My mom lives off of this, how does she do all of this and support me and my siblings?’ I really liked seeing the real-world impact that way.”
To learn more about the “Get Real” simulation and to inquire about hosting the program in your county, contact your local county extension office.
To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit uada.edu. To learn more about ag and food research in Arkansas, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station at aaes.uada.edu.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 22 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on three campuses.
Pursuant to 7 CFR § 15.3, the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs and services (including employment) without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, sexual preference, pregnancy or any other legally protected status, and is an equal opportunity institution.
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Media Contact:
Rebekah Hall
rkhall@uada.edu
501-671-2061