ROCHESTER If there was a madman in Rochester on Tuesday morning, no one wouldve feared. McClelland School was filled with superheroes galore. As the schools UP Program kicked off its Superhero Week, Holy Rosary Credit Union sent along its own heroes, Violet and Cash.
The superheroes of saving have been working with local children all summer to encourage responsible financial habits through the banks M3 program. According to the HRCU website, the M3 program is "a fun program designed to provide children, ages birth to 12, a financial education adventure."
Violet and Cash joined the children of the summer camp for the second time this year on Tuesday morning, where the kids engaged in a tug-of-war and a penny relay race to encourage saving.
While the credit union has been serving the local schools for well over a decade, they just started the summer program this year. What was formerly known as "Banking Days" during the past school year has evolved into "Super Saver Days" this summer and will continue into the school year this fall.
These days consisted of an HRCU representative going to the local elementary schools and collecting deposits from the young members for their savings accounts. Throughout the summer, these days have consisted of fun.
Leah Esslinger-Sprowl, the high school branch manager and youth educator, runs the fun-filled days at eight summer camps and programs throughout the city.
She visits each camp once a week, bringing along her saving superheroes Violet and Cash about once each month. Over the first two months of the summer, Esslinger-Sprowl said shes made piggy banks and had scavenger hunts with the kids. Theyve read jokes and fact sheets and even played games with a financial focus.
"Weve really focused on a theme of needs versus wants," said Esslinger-Sprowl.
"We really want to teach them the difference between the two and encourage them to save up for things they want," she said.
She explained that the local credit union likes to work with youngsters to fill that void of financial education. She said the schools are working on adding fiscal responsibility to learning, and parents are busy enough teaching kids what not to do or how to behave, so HRCU is stepping in to help teach kids the importance of financial responsibility.
"Were really pushing for financial literacy," said Esslinger-Sprowl.
The credit union likes to work with the young kids to develop that basic relationship. Esslinger-Sprowl said the summer program isnt "all about saving, but also about having fun." She said HRCU is looking to establish a connection with those students so that as they get older, they will continue with those good money habits and work with the credit union.
Holy Rosary has many perks for young savers that include earning a prize on visits, easy depositing with Super Saver Days, and a website available at HRCUs youth page, which is accessible through HRCU.org, that has interactive games.
The program will continue through August, with one more visit from Cash and Violet at each of the camps. Esslinger-Sprowl said kids seem to be loving the characters, whose costumes were designed by Disney.�� "They love to hug them and high-five them," she said.
To find out more about the M3 program, head to HRCU.org and select the youth program page. The Credit Union will be hosting a kick-off with Cash and Violet on Aug. 17. More information will be posted on the HRCU website in the near future.
