Three students are being given the opportunity to run anin-school branch at Como Park High School in St. Paul, Minn.

The $112 million St. Paul FCU, the owner of the new branch, saidit hopes that the new location will help students gain a betterunderstanding of finance.

“The credit union believes in teaching youth financial literacy and we had some key people in the school tomake sure that this student branch really flies,” said St. Paul FCUVice President of Lending and Member Services Mitch Myre.

The program will be a part of the high school's business programand three students at Como Park High School will work in rotatingshifts as tellers at the in-school credit union, St. Paul FCUsaid.

The students – seniors Dylan Schmidt and Kyle Kottke and juniorTim Smith – have trained at St. Paul FCU's main branch as summerinterns and they will perform the same duties as any full-timeteller in their new roles, the credit union added.

“Not everyone thinks about saving for college or saving for other things,” high school intern Smithsaid. “The student branch adds an opportunity to talk about moneywith other students. We can help explain money [management] to themin a way they can understand.”

The three students will be managed by a St. Paul FCU supervisorand Trevor Malone, the credit union's school and branch educationcoordinator, who will oversee operations of the in-schoolbranch.

St. Paul FCU said its new branch will offer nearly all of thesame services as its other branches, including check cashing,deposits, loan applications and financial assistance.

Additionally, the credit union said its staff will beparticipating in school discussions about the importance of creditand saving, interviewing skills and resume building.

The inauguration of the in-school branch marks the second suchopening in Minnesota, following Hometown CreditUnion's in-student branch, which was opened last school year inOwatonna, Minn.

“If we are successful here [with St. Paul FCU's student branch],this could be the catalyst to starting student credit unions inother Minnesota schools,” high school intern Schmidt said.