St. Louis, MO - 1st Financial Federal Credit Union, a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), focused on serving the community with education, job training and sustainable housing resources, has partnered with Aspire Academy to acknowledge and celebrate winners of a recent writing contest.
Students were asked to write an essay for Vinita Clark, a Communication Arts teacher at Aspire Academy, using the following prompt: "What would you attempt to do if you knew it was impossible to fail."
Ms. Clark stated, "Writing gives the students an opportunity to discover their own voice.��Using essay writing competitions�provides�me an opportunity to help students work through their individual trauma.� They are allowed to dream beyond their immediate surroundings.� Unfortunately, it is not common knowledge or even an open discussion of how we use obstacles as stepping stones in today's society."
1st Financial helped Ms. Clark by rewarding ten students with a day of fun for their hard work.� Students were chauffeured in a 2015 Mercedes Party bus to Racanellis Pizza and to Forest Park. During the day, students were able to discuss their aspirations with Ms. Clark.
Ms. Clark went on to say, "Because writing saved my life, it is my earnest desire, as a classroom teacher to deliver the most powerful message of resilience�I can to all of my students, past, present, and future. E
xcellence is a choice!"
1st Financial Federal Credit Union believes that education is the foundation in which a healthy financial future can be built. In 2015, 1st Financial partnered with Tishaura Jones, Treasurer of the City of St. Louis, for her College Kids savings program. Last year, 1st Financial opened a deposit only savings account for every Kindergartner in the City of St. Louis in an effort to promote higher education and financial literacy.
"What a rewarding experience for these students in Ms. Clarks class", stated Carol Minges, CEO of 1st Financial Federal Credit Union. She went on to say, "We believe education is maybe the most important first step in achieving financial sustainability. I am so elated there are teachers, like Ms. Clark, impacting and influencing her students each and every day."
About 1st Financial Federal Credit Union
Like all credit unions, 1st Financial is a member-owned, financial cooperative. 1st Financial Federal Credit Union was chartered on September 3, 1968 as District 837 Credit Union by the International Association of Machinist members employed by McDonnell Douglas. Today, with over 30,000 members and nearly $200 million in assets, 1st Financial is a St. Louis metro area financial institution dedicated to helping members achieve their financial dreams. For over 45 years 1st Financial has provided members with a full line of dependable financial products and services which returns profits to the members in the form of lower rates on loans and higher savings yields. The cooperative nature of credit unions enables 1st Financial to provide products and services at very reasonable rates.
1st Financial Federal Credit Union serves those who live, work, worship, attend school, or regularly conduct business in St. Louis City, St. Louis County, and St. Charles County, Missouri and a wide array of companies throughout the St. Louis metropolitan area. 1st Financial is a member-owned, not-for-profit financial organization committed to providing quality services to the membership while demonstrating safe and sound business practices. Deposits are federally insured by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA), an agency of the U.S. Government.
Not a credit union member?�If you live, work, worship, attend school, or regularly conduct business in St. Louis City, St. Louis County, and St. Charles County, Missouri, you can open an account today with 1st Financial Federal Credit Union. Visit
www.TheBetterWayToBank.org for more information.
