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Blog Archive

Friday, May 20, 2022

A Dose of Reality at Hillman High School

Assistant Manager of the Atlanta Branch, Trena S,
explains the selections on housing and making
good financial choices.

Hillman High School, in Montmorency County, recently teamed up with Community Financial to engage their students in a dose of financial reality! Hillman High School’s eleventh and twelfth grade students participated in a Community Financial sponsored “Reality Fair,” where students were asked to navigate the world of finances as adults!

The “Reality Fair,” developed by CUNA (The Credit Union National Association) and used by credit unions around Michigan, is designed to engage students in making money-smart adult choices. Students begin the Reality Fair by receiving a profession with a set salary and credit score. After students are taught about credit card debt, credit scores, student loan payments, and setting a monthly budget, they are tasked with choosing their transportation, housing, child care, home essentials, food, clothing, and more. The goal is for students to build a monthly budget within their set means, while simultaneously learning about the costs of necessary goods and services.

Labels: school credit union school spotlight student-run credit union student financial education student budgeting spending habits student credit union Hillman hillman high school students school partnerships Student run credit union school spend smart

Friday, January 18, 2019

School Spotlight: Gaylord Intermediate Students Set Savings Goals

Gaylord Student-Run Credit Union winter volunteers.

For the responsible adult who thinks about being prepared for the future, savings are a fixed expense that is built into the monthly budget just like car payments and insurance. For most people, though, this habit does not come naturally. Community Financial is helping students in our northern communities develop these savings habits from an early age.

In our Northern communities, our school partners include: Gaylord Intermediate School, Lewiston Elementary, Atlanta Community and Hillman Elementary School. Gaylord Intermediate School has been a partner with us since 2004. Here are this winter's 6th grade Student-Run Credit Union volunteers from Gaylord Intermediate School!

Labels: school spotlight Gaylord Intermediate School savings savings goal Gaylord Gaylord MI money management for kids Gaylord Community Schools Student run credit union

Friday, November 16, 2018

School Spotlight: Grand River Academy Students Learn Interviewing Skills

Education Partnership Coordinator, Amy Pashukewich,
instructs potential student hires on how to conduct
themselves in an interview setting.

Community Financial is excited for our first year in partnership with Grand River Academy in Livonia! Partnering with Grand River Academy marked Community Financial’s 50th Student-Run Credit Union! Our Student-Run Credit Union program provides students with a fun way to learn real-life skills. Each student who would like to volunteer to work at the Student-Run Credit Union will go through an interviewing process similar to what adults experience. Grand River Academy’s fifth and seventh grade students recently learned how the interviewing process works.

Our Education Partnership Coordinators first teach students the importance of filling out an application in their best handwriting, dressing well for an interview, smiling and making eye contact. First impressions are incredibly important, and students are given the opportunity to practice these skills at a young age! Here are Grand River Academy’s very first potential “hires!”
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Labels: school spotlight interviewing skills financial literacy student credit union interviewing community financial credit union money management for kids Student run credit union

Friday, July 20, 2018

School Spotlight: P-CEP Seniors Get Financially Ready for Real World

The Senior Checklist

Kristen La Forest, our high school Education Partnership Coordinator, created a “Senior Checklist” for 12th grade Advanced Marketing students this past school year at the Plymouth-Canton Educational Park. She interacted with these students as they ran our credit unions at P-CEP. This checklist ensured students were financially ready for the world of credit cards, credit scores, savings and checking accounts.

Mrs. La Forest asked questions like “What are the five factors that determine a person’s credit score?” and “What is the difference between using the credit option on a debit card vs. using a ‘real’ credit card?” Here are some pictures of Mrs. La Forest and two of her students in May with their completed “Senior Checklist!”

Labels: school spotlight college youth financial education budgeting money management Student run credit union PCEP Plymouth Canton High School plymouth-canton

Friday, June 15, 2018

School Spotlight: Local High Schools Learn About Fraud

High School Partnerships Lead Teens to Financial Success and Away From Fraud!
Community Financial has exceptional partnerships with high schools in the Plymouth-Canton area. We are partners with P-CEP, Starkweather Academy, Canton Preparatory High School, and New School High. We have also conducted presentations at Northville High School and Clarenceville High School.

Education Partnership Coordinator, Kristen La Forest, runs our high school partnerships and prepares high school students for financial success. Mrs. La Forest creates and gives presentations to high school students on topics such as fraud, credit, credit scores, checking accounts, interviewing techniques, financial aid, etc. She is a wonderful resource for high school students just beginning to explore and navigate the financial world! Here are some pictures of Mrs. La Forest presenting the topic “Teens and Fraud” to students at Starkweather High School.

Labels: identity theft prevention identity theft scams fraud prevention school spotlight financial education community financial high school school partnerships Student run credit union teens

Friday, May 18, 2018

School Spotlight in the North: Students Take the $5 Bill Quiz

Education Partnership Coordinator, Angela Corbin,
posing with her Lewiston Elementary Spring Volunteers.

Student-Run Credit Unions in the North!

Community Financial has school partnerships in five schools near our northern branches. Students in Gaylord Intermediate, Lewiston Elementary, Atlanta, Gaylord St. Mary’s, and Hillman Intermediate schools participate in our Student-Run Credit Union program.

Our Education Partnership Coordinator, Angela Corbin, works with schools in these areas to help educate the youth in northern Michigan. Here are some pictures of Angela with her student volunteers at Lewiston Elementary School!

Labels: Lewiston school spotlight Gaylord Hillman money management Student run credit union northern Michigan $5 bill quiz Atlanta

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