PORTLAND, Ore. — Unitus Community Credit Union and David Douglas High School are helping sophomores and juniors become more financially savvy and confident.
On June 6-7, a foyer of the high school will be transformed into a mock Unitus Community CU branch complete with member service representatives from the CU's Mall 205 branch, replica dollar bills featuring the David Douglas "Scots" mascot, imitation check books and transaction receipts.
As part of the school's Personal Finance and Career Exploration curriculum, the mock-CU program is designed to teach students everything from the basic functions of a financial institution to cashing a check and making deposits.
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The credit union hopes the hands-on education approach will also help reduce the intimidation factor many teens feel when walking into a financial institution for the first time.
"Our goal for the program at David Douglas High School is to make all students feel comfortable asking questions and using a credit union to make smart financial decisions," said Unitus Vice President of Planning and Business Develop- ment Laurie Kresl. "The first step in making good financial decisions is education."
She adds that in a district where students come from diverse backgrounds and as many as 25% of students are English Language Learners, teaching the basics of personal finance and the functions of a credit union are crucial.
"Because of the diverse cultural backgrounds, this may be the first time some of these students have even thought of using a credit union. We want to build their trust in financial institutions and take away the intimidation factor," said Kresl.
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