Credit Union Supports Financial Literacy Efforts in Schools

Over 120 sophomore students at Narragansett High School received certificates of completion in the new EverFi program sponsored by the Westerly Community Credit Union. Students were presented their certificates by Gina Raimondo- RI General Treasurer, Steve White- WCCU President and CEO, and Katherine Sipala- Narragansett Schools Superintendent. EverFi is a new financial education program used by students at the Narragansett High School. It uses the latest in new media technologies- video, animation, 3-D gaming, avatars, and social networking- to bring complex financial concepts to life for todays digital generation. The Westerly Community Credit Union is proud to bring the interactive financial management program to high school students at no cost to the schools. The Credit Union also sponsors this innovative new web-based program in the Westerly, South Kingstown and Exeter-West Greenwich areas. Financial literacy has been a major focus for our Credit Union for years and this program is a positive addition to our existing programs, stated Steve White, Westerly Community Credit Union President and CEO. Our hope is to teach our young adults the importance of good financial management, so they will have a financially secure adulthood. Students participated in a 10-unit course, which offered 6 hours of programming aimed at teaching, assessing and certifying students in a variety of financial topics including: credit scores, insurance, credit cards, student loans, mortgages, taxes, stocks, savings, 401ks and other critical concepts that map to national financial literacy standards. The platform uniquely tracks the progress and score of every student who successfully completes the course with a Certification in Financial Literacy, a valuable mark of distinction on college applications and resumes. This program helps students understand the importance of making good, lifelong financial decisions, said Raimondo. I enjoyed spending time with Narragansett High School students and am pleased that their teachers and administration have made financial empowerment a priority in the classroom. EverFi Rhode Island General Treasurer Gina M. Raimondo introduced the program created by EverFi to Westerly Community Credit Union. Increasing opportunities for financial empowerment is a top priority for Raimondo. EverFi is the leading education technology platform company to teach, assess, and certify students in critical skills including Financial Literacy, Student Loan Management, Digital Literacy, and Health and Wellness. The company is already powering a national movement in 50 states that enables students to learn using the latest technology, including rich media, gaming, high-definition video, and simulations. To date, more than 5 million students have completed EverFi learning platforms. Learn more at www.everfi.com.