The $27 billion State Employees' Credit Union in Raleigh, N.C., helped the TarHeel state receive top honors at this year's National YouthInvolvement Board Conference held in San Diego, Calif.

North Carolina earned its third consecutive award forthe “Highest Number of Students Reached through YouthPresentations,” with a total of56,308 students.

Team SECU walked away with two NYIB team awards, taking tophonors for the highest number of students reached by ateam with 55,662 and the highest number of presentationsconducted by a team with 815- for the secondconsecutive year, SECU said in a release.

“NYIB is an organization that focuses on making a difference intoday's youth,” said Julie McLean, NYIB chairman and director offinancial education with the $97 million Arapahoe Credit Union inCentennial, Colo. “We are proud of our long-lastingpartnership with SECU and commend their dedication to NorthCarolina communities by providing financial education, changinglives one student at a time.”

SECU said it works to educate children and young adults abouteconomics, saving and money management. The credit unionprovides assistance as a financial resource for its young membersand collaborates with local educators, state agencies andnon-profit organizations across North Carolina to offer youthfinancial education programs for students from pre-school throughcollege.

Educational curricula includes SECU's FAT CAT Smart MoneyWorkbooks for elementary school students, Biz Kid$ televisionepisodes for middle scholars, Reality of Money activities for8^th-12^th graders, the National Endowmentfor Financial Education High School Financial PlanningProgram and SECU's young adult presentations designed forcollege students.