Reliant CU recently hosted their second Bite of Reality program at Lyons High School on September 24.

Bite of Reality is an interactive financial literacy experience that challenges students to navigate real-world budgeting decisions based on a personalized life scenario. Participants are assigned an occupation, income, credit score, family profile, and potential debt obligations before making choices related to housing, transportation, childcare, groceries, and other everyday expenses.

“Financial literacy is one of the most important skills a young person can develop,” said Reliant Credit Union Chief Experience Officer Amy Calabrese, who also serves as a member of the New York Credit Union Foundation Board of Trustees. “Through Bite of Reality, students experience the real-world impact of budgeting, credit, and everyday financial decisions in a way that’s engaging, memorable, and meaningful. We are excited to bring this experience to local schools and equip the next generation with practical skills that will benefit them for years to come.”

Throughout the 90-minute simulation, students visit 10 stations staffed by credit union volunteers, making financial decisions based on their assigned circumstances and seeing firsthand how factors such as credit scores, debt, and family size can affect their budgets.

“Programs like Bite of Reality are exactly why the Foundation exists: to give young people the tools and confidence to build strong financial futures," said Tim Bruculere, Chair of the New York Credit Union Foundation Board of Trustees. "We’re proud to see Reliant Credit Union bringing this experience to local students. Financial education and support are at the heart of our mission, and this kind of hands-on experience turns abstract lessons about credit, budgeting, and family expenses into something students can see and feel for themselves. That’s how real financial confidence takes root, and it’s exactly the kind of impact we hope to continue to see in communities across New York.”