Credit Union's Moneystrong Fair Huge Hit With High School Students

Jeanne DArc Credit Unions (Lowell, MA)�third MoneyStrong for Life Fair, held Wednesday (April 03, 2013) at the Tsongas Center in Lowell, was a tremendous success. More than 300 Lowell High School and Methuen High School students enjoyed an eye-opening experience regarding careers, income and the high cost of being self-supporting.

The interactive fair involved 12^th-grade students playing the roles of 25-year-old adults complete with assigned professions and annual salaries. They were required to work within a budget based on their monthly income and visit 13 different booths during the three-hour fair, making purchasing decisions at each booth using cash, credit or savings. They needed to rent an apartment, decide whether to have roommates, whether to purchase a car or buy a bus pass, buy auto and home insurance, shop for clothing required for their careers, purchase furniture, decide on cable television and Internet options, etc. "The MoneyStrong for Life Fair fits in well with our mission of helping people make smart financial choices," said Mark S. Cochran, President and Chief Executive Officer of Jeanne DArc Credit Union. "It is crucial for students to learn the skills necessary to navigate the twists and turns of lifes financial waters. We were pleased to provide them with an innovative and interesting way of gaining some real-life financial experience." Students were also presented with some unexpected scenarios, such as: losing their job, having babies, cars that needed extensive repairs, or receiving an unanticipated bonus at work. They then had to determine how to cope with these scenarios with the cash and credit available to them. As the final step, students were required to visit the credit-counseling booth where they had their credit checked and discovered whether they were living within their budgets. Many had to make changes to their lifestyles when it was discovered they were spending far more money than they were earning. Fifty-four (54) employees from Jeanne DArc Credit Union and eight (8) community partners volunteered to assist students in their decision-making processes. Jeanne DArc Credit Union underwrote the cost of the event, including lunch for students and volunteers. Photo:� Lowell High School students participate in Jeanne DArc Credit Unions MoneyStrong For Life Fair at the Tsongas Center.