Surrounded by 40 of his classmates, Grant Henderson was assigned a role.

Henderson, a freshman human development and family science student at Oklahoma State University, was participating in OSU Extension’s poverty simulation, a hands-on activity in which participants assume family roles and navigate scenarios commonly faced by people living below the poverty line.

For the next hour, Henderson, 18, acted out the life of a 19-year-old single mother. He needed to provide food, shelter and other necessities, and make it all work within a tight budget. What was the purpose of all this? To help teach financial skills, but also to build empathy for people struggling with these issues.

“I’m glad I only had to go through it for an hour,” Henderson said. “I can’t imagine what it’s like for weeks, months or years on end.”

Henderson’s simulation was facilitated by Oklahoma State University Extension and used as a class activity for students in the Human Development and Family Science department – a field that prepares future professionals to support individuals and families in improving their well-being.

With inflation rising and individuals hunting for ways to save, OSU Extension is working to improve financial literacy and skills across the state. But the commitment goes beyond lectures and classes. Instead, OSU Extension focuses on hands-on learning through different simulations and programs, perhaps none more poignant than the poverty simulation.

“Knowledge matters, but behavior change is the goal,” Mengya Wang, OSU Extension’s personal finance specialist, said. “Our simulations are the first step, giving participants a handson way to try out choices, make mistakes and build the habits that stick.”

One of the most popular programs is the Reality Money Check, a handson simulation designed for local high school students to participate in. Students are assigned a salary and family status, and visit different booths, like insurance, housing, clothing and entertainment, to introduce them to basic financial literacy skills.

“I think this simulation really provides a safe place to practice financial skills before the real money is on the line,” Wang said.

The simulation is designed to highlight expenses high schoolers haven’t considered, like buying car tags for a new vehicle, the cost of goods such as childcare and the consequences of not having insurance.

The program has been so successful, OSU Extension is drawing the attention of other states that want to adopt a similar program. Wang is currently working on qualitative and quantitative evaluations of the program to highlight and present the impact of the simulation.

“The way you talk about financial education is tailored,” Wang said. “There is no one-size-fits-all model. When we create the curriculum, we really want to target the people and their specific needs.”

OSU Extension has also developed simulations for adults, the most popular being the poverty simulation. The activity divides participants into families, each with a different role and challenging circumstances that are typically seen with people living below the poverty line.

Over the course of an hour (split into four, 15-minute “weeks”), participants walk around the room, visiting different tables – such as a simulated bank, social services, grocery store or school – with the task of providing for their families on a tight budget.

“I think it makes you more compassionate toward people in that situation,” Jan Dawson, Tulsa County Extension director, said. Dawson has participated in this simulation for more than seven years.

The simulation is targeted toward adult community members, like police officers and bank employees, to better explain situations common in communities and build empathy. After assisting with a simulation in Miami, Dawson explained that a group of community partners developed a plan for essential businesses to come together at evening and weekend events to help clients receive their services outside of regular business hours.

“Everything we do, we hope to help better people’s lives,” Dawson said. “Either through the food and nutrition, or through financial programming. But I think this opens their eyes to the idea of, ‘Hey, I have to make these decisions like go to work, pay my bills, or there will be consequences.’” The poverty simulation program leaves an impact on its participants.

“Growing up, I had friends who lived in poverty,” Ashley Flesher, a freshman human development and family science major, said. “Going through the simulation, I realized how difficult that was for them.”