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Pressroom > News Release:
Free financial education to Ohio students
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For Immediate
Release
Contact: Patrick Harris
Director of Media Relations
Ohio Credit Union League
pharris@ohiocul.org
800-486-2917 |
More Than 1,000 Ohio Students to Receive
Free Financial Education
Three Regional Events Feature Credit Union Reality-Based Games;
Focus
on Key Financial Concepts of Budgeting, Saving
Columbus, Ohio (October 18, 2010) –
More than 180 volunteers from Ohio credit unions will celebrate
International Credit Union Week (Oct. 18 – 22) by educating
nearly 1,000 high school students on the importance of
budgeting, saving, and differing wants from needs at financial
education “reality games” in Dayton, Toledo, and Columbus.
Credit unions understand the financial health of Ohio’s youngest
citizens is at risk, and are working to make financial education
an important aspect of a well-rounded education.
On Oct. 18, at
Wright State University in Dayton, approximately 100 students
will play a hands-on “game of life,” called Life After High
School, created by Universal 1 Credit Union and funded in part
by the Ohio Credit Union Foundation (OCUF). Students will make
important decisions during the game that will impact their
financial futures: job selection, higher education, living
choices, car purchases, and everyday monthly expenses. The Ohio
Credit Union League (OCUL) will donate the 25 Life After High
School board games used during the event to Miami Valley area
high schools.
On Oct. 19, at
Bowling Green State University, 750 students will walk through a
hands-on, life-size reality game called Finances 101: Walk the
Walk, Talk the Talk. Each student will receive a salary, pay
bills, make difficult financial decisions, and encounter
unexpected financial setbacks and gains. Finances 101 teaches
life’s important financial lessons – budgeting, saving, and
differing wants from needs. The game was created by the
Northwest Chapter of the Ohio Credit Union League and was also
made possible by a grant from OCUF. This is the 7th
year for Finances 101 in the Northwest Chapter during
International Credit Union Week. To date, an estimated 2,500
students have participated in Finances 101.
On Oct. 20,
Finances 101 will move to Central Ohio, where 200 Columbus area
students will benefit from the financial concepts taught by the
Finances 101 reality game.
“International
Credit Union Week is a time when we reflect on how credit unions
are different, and this is a prime example of the credit union
difference,” said Paul Mercer, President of OCUL. “Financial
education, especially key concepts like budgeting and saving, is
crucial to the financial future of our youth. Credit unions’
believe it is our duty to share our financial education
expertise, to help educators fulfill this need, and serve as a
conduit to financial success for Ohio youth.”
The League is
looking to expand its financial education efforts to Cleveland
and Cincinnati next year, with the goal of educating more than
2,000 students during International Credit Union Week 2011.
Ohio’s 390 credit unions are joining credit unions across the
world in celebrating credit union philosophy during the week,
which revolves around International Credit Union Day on Oct.
21. This year’s theme, “Local. Trusted. Serving You.,”
encapsulates
trust and member service at credit unions and characterizes the
cooperative difference. After a year that has posed economic
and financial challenges for people across the country, this
theme honors credit unions’ philosophy of putting people before
profit in order to provide access to affordable financial
services to all their members.
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The Ohio Credit
Union League, with offices in Columbus, is a state trade
association representing 390 credit unions. Credit unions are
not-for-profit financial institutions owned and
democratically-controlled by their members. Ohio credit unions
provide savings, loans, and other consumer financial services to
their 2.66 million members. To learn more, visit
www.OhioCreditUnions.org.
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