"Getting students to save their money isnt as easy as it seems," said Katherine Penn, sponsor teacher of Co-op Services student credit union at Clarenceville Middle School in Livonia. "It takes a lot of teamwork, planning and marketing."
Every year, eighth graders at Clarenceville Middle School have an opportunity to attend the annual trip to Washington, D.C. While the school hosts a variety of fundraisers to help pay for the trip, students and families are expected to contribute to travel costs, which average nearly $800 each.
"Saving money�in the student credit union benefits everyone," added Penn.
Penn helps train students who volunteer at the schools student-run credit union. The volunteers learn to work together to develop marketing campaigns, encouraging fellow students in grades six through eight to open a student credit union account, save their money and make regular deposits.
Eighth graders Alyssa Craigie and Erin Koss are volunteer credit union managers who oversee two teams of student volunteers to develop strategies and activities that will attract other students to open accounts and start saving.
"We have two teams with five or six kids on a team, but we dont compete we work together," said Craigie. "We give team members index cards to write down their ideas, and then review and share them with Jeremy Cybulski." Cybulski is Co-op Services Credit Unions youth and community development coordinator.
Many of the school-wide campaigns and activities that have attracted students are food-related, including "Donuts 4 Deposits" where depositors receive a fresh doughnut for putting money in their account. One lucky student won a super-sized bowl of candy and snacks as the prize for a Super Bowl raffle.
The student credit union is open each Friday for students to make deposits. One of the most unique promotions, held on a Friday the 13th, gave students who made deposits the opportunity to smash a piece of fruit with a bat. Craigie and Koss agreed that it was hilarious, fun and definitely messy.
"Getting students to save their money isnt as easy as it seems," said Katherine Penn, sponsor teacher of Co-op Services student credit union at Clarenceville Middle School in Livonia. "It takes a lot of teamwork, planning and marketing."
Every year, eighth graders at Clarenceville Middle School have an opportunity to attend the annual trip to Washington, D.C. While the school hosts a variety of fundraisers to help pay for the trip, students and families are expected to contribute to travel costs, which average nearly $800 each.
"Saving money�in the student credit union benefits everyone," added Penn.
Penn helps train students who volunteer at the schools student-run credit union. The volunteers learn to work together to develop marketing campaigns, encouraging fellow students in grades six through eight to open a student credit union account, save their money and make regular deposits.
Eighth graders Alyssa Craigie and Erin Koss are volunteer credit union managers who oversee two teams of student volunteers to develop strategies and activities that will attract other students to open accounts and start saving.
"We have two teams with five or six kids on a team, but we dont compete we work together," said Craigie. "We give team members index cards to write down their ideas, and then review and share them with Jeremy Cybulski." Cybulski is Co-op Services Credit Unions youth and community development coordinator.
Many of the school-wide campaigns and activities that have attracted students are food-related, including "Donuts 4 Deposits" where depositors receive a fresh doughnut for putting money in their account. One lucky student won a super-sized bowl of candy and snacks as the prize for a Super Bowl raffle.
The student credit union is open each Friday for students to make deposits. One of the most unique promotions, held on a Friday the 13th, gave students who made deposits the opportunity to smash a piece of fruit with a bat. Craigie and Koss agreed that it was hilarious, fun and definitely messy.