EAU CLAIRE Wis. – April marks National Credit Union Youth Month with credit unions across the country participating.
Among them is Royal Credit Union, Telhio CU and Wings Financial, which have announced a number of related efforts.
In Wisconsin, Royal CU said it is tying into the Jurassic theme this year by telling young members, “Saving with Royal Credit Union is Dinoriffic.” The campaign includes some help from dinosaur characters.
Among the events Royal CU said it has planned for the month of April:
Kids Club Promotion
During April, any new Savings Account opened for children 12 years old and younger will have the initial $5.00 provided by Royal. Children 12 years and younger are automatically enrolled in Royal’s Kids Club, which makes them eligible for prizes and invitations to exclusive Kids Club events. Only one savings account per person is allowed, the credit union said.
School $ense Celebration
During April, participating Royal elementary School $ense locations will have a worksheet competition for a chance to win a basket for their classroom.
Social Media Contest
During April, a contest will be hosted on Royal’s Facebook page. Kids will be asked to solve or answer dinosaur themed riddles or jokes for a chance to win prizes. The contest will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays giving participants two chances to win each week, the CU said.
Financial Bee Partnership
Separately, Apple Valley, Minn. Wings Financial said for the second year in a row it is partnering with EverFi for the National Financial Bee that provides students a fun opportunity to learn financial concepts. From April 1-15, students will have access to daily lessons covering topics from savings, investing, income, debt and more.
After completing five lessons, participants submit a short essay sharing their biggest financial dream and the plan to get there. Essays must be submitted by April 15. Three winners will receive up to $10,000 in college scholarships.
In addition, Wings Financial Foundation will donate a total of $10,000 across four local organizations that directly impact students, teachers, and families. The organizations include Kids in Need Foundation, The Open Door Pantry in Apple Valley, College Possible, and Lakes Area Food Shelf in Brainerd.
“We recognize the importance of financial education and want to be able to support our members and communities with access to the information they need to properly plan for their financial future,” said John Wagner, Wings Financial Foundation president. “We host online workshops all year long and during Financial Literacy Month we’re thrilled to expand on that. By partnering with EverFi to engage our younger members and get them excited to think about their finances and by providing donations directly to the communities we serve, we can positively impact even more members.”
Different Themes
Expanding on Wings’ regular online offerings, each week during April a different theme will be highlighted with specific activities targeted to members of all ages – from preschool to adults. The themes include: What is a Credit Union; Credit; Spend, Share, Save; and Fraud and Internet Safety.
The credit union said these workshops compliment Wings’ many offerings including SOAR EXPLORERS (ages 13-15) and SOAR (ages 16-22) that incentivize young members to get off to a smart financial start.
Special Savings Match, Giveaways
In Columbus, Ohio, Telhio Credit Union said it is celebrating National Credit Union Youth Month with giveaways and a special savings match program for youth accounts.
Telhio Credit Union members who come into a branch and open a youth savings account can enter a drawing for their choice of Columbus Blue Jackets tickets or a Cincinnati Zoo membership. The giveaway will be offered at every Telhio branch throughout Central and Southwest Ohio.
Telhio is also offering a deposit match of up to $25 for new and existing youth savings accounts. Parents and children can utilize in-branch coin machines to make their deposit, as well as take home a complementary piggy bank called a “SaVeHicle” that comes with custom stickers, the credit union said.
“Credit Union Youth Month is a wonderful opportunity for Telhio to promote our youth program and teach the importance of saving at a young age,” said Karen Daniels, chief retail officer, Telhio Credit Union. “Every April, we look for ways to amplify our efforts to provide financial education to our community’s youth, but this year, we decided to do something extra special for our current and new members. We are excited to offer these fun, saving incentives while also encouraging financial responsibility among children and youth.”