AURORA, Colo. — Credit unions seem at last to be stepping up their youth marketing and financial literacy projects based on new student contact numbers released this week by the National Youth Involvement Board.

“We're quite pleased to see a jump from 9,300 to 9,800 students reached in a year's time,” said John Faries, chairman of NYIB and vice president of accounting and marketing at the $95 million Space Age Credit Union here.

The new stats including a jump in online “presentations” or specific CU school visits and classes will be discussed at NYIB's annual conference Jan. 31-Aug. 3 in San Antonio.

A highlight of the NYIB conference will be separate tracks on financial literacy and on youth-oriented marketing led by leading teen consultants familiar with new online ventures as CUs seek to halt the “graying” trend, said Faries. Also on the agenda is a keynote speech by NCUA Chairman JoAnn Johnson.

Due for discussion during the conference will be the viral status of “MySpace” ventures with an estimated two dozen CUs piloting such projects including “Little Guy” applications.

“We continue to look at MySpace but there's always that backlash fear about offending the parents,” said Faries.