Students at Baker Intermediate learned the importance of budgeting and creating spending priorities Wednesday morning during the Dollars and Sense reality fair.

The fair, put together through a partnership with Baker, the Schools to Careers Community Education program and Clark County 4-H, is meant to teach students about responsibly spending money by focusing on needs rather than wants, 4-H Extension agent Heather Cassill said.

“Each student gets $220,” Cassill said. “They’re also assigned pets, and they must care for their pets before anything else.”

The students then have to go to 14 booths, each representing a different potential expense — either necessary or optional — that will cost some of their allowance. Additionally, $20 is taken off the top to represent taxes.

Kareem Guerrant, a sixth grader taking part in the event, said he was surprised by how much money can be spent on necessities, limiting opportunity for fun purchases.

“I wanted to buy some games and whatnot, but after the stuff I needed I only had like $10,” he said.

Julia Martinez said the reality fair will make her think twice about what she asks her parents for, and that her requests will focus more on needs than wants moving forward.

Azzareya Morris said the project gave her perspective on the importance of starting to save money for the future, even while she’s young.

“You need to save for what you need instead of just going out to buy what you want,” Morris said.

All sixth grade students take part in the fair, Cassill said. In eighth grade, the students will take part in a similar, but more realistic program to teach them more about budgeting.