SANTA ROSA, Calif. – Redwood Credit Union has recently awarded $100 to 11-year-old Sean Thomas Wolfe as part of its 2006 Youth Week Savings Challenge.

Credit Union Youth Week promotes good saving habits and smart money skills for children and teens. RCU participated by hosting free educational seminars, coloring contests, fun giveaways and snacks in their branch locations, and the RCU Savings Challenge, where youths received automatic entry just for making a deposit into their RCU account.

During this year's Youth Week, 59 new youth accounts were opened and more than 480 young members up to the age of 17 made deposits into their accounts totaling over $82,291.

The RCU Youth Accounts program is divided into two groups: Jr. Rangers, for children through age twelve, and Jr. Partners for teenagers 13-17. Both age groups receive dividends on the funds they save, a free gift when opening an RCU savings account, quarterly educational and fun newsletters, online account access, and a special Web site with educational games and articles.