LOWELL, Mass. – Students operating Jeanne D'Arc Credit Union branches at Dracut High School, Lowell High School, and Nashoba Valley Technical High School were recognized for their knowledge of identity theft during the annual Massachusetts School Bank Association (MSBA) Conference. Founded in 1987, the MSBA is a cooperative effort of schools and financial institutions dedicated to the welfare of students, the advancement of education, and improvements of instructional opportunities. The organization consists of 40 high schools throughout Massachusetts that have branches of financial services firms operating within their walls. During the conference students participated in three separate events regarding the growing identity theft crisis within the financial industry. The essay contest focused on how to protect oneself from falling victim to its misfortunes. Teams then competed against each other in the Banking Bowl Trivia Contest. Finally, by utilizing marketing principles, teams were each given five minutes to present a campaign that would alert the public to the consequences of identity theft. Lowell High School students, Y Choeum, Melissa Siva, and Keo Teap, tied for 1st place in the Banking Bowl in addition to tying for 3rd place in the Marketing Competition. Nashoba Valley Technical High School students Sarah Bellino, James. Poirier, and Becky Smith placed 2nd in the Marketing Competition and the $500 Post Secondary Education Grant was awarded to fellow student Theresa Ng. "We were thrilled to hear how well our three High School teams performed," said Paul Mayotte, president/CEO of Jeanne D'Arc Credit Union. "Educating the younger generation about important financial issues will help reinforce their awareness for such scams in the future."