RALEIGH, N.C. – Throughout March, middle school students around North Carolina have gotten a sneak peek at what their future could hold through Students@Work events hosted by State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU). In Raleigh, SECU’s Salisbury Street office welcomed 70 eighth grade students and faculty members from Daniels Magnet Middle School for an engaging half-day of activities.
Students began their day with a financial simulation called “Reality of Money,” transforming each of them into a 25-year-old with various responsibilities, including a job, monthly expenses and a family to support. The exercise was followed by a discussion on SECU careers with a panel of credit union employees. Group tours of branch and operations areas also offered students a chance to see how employees are using their education on the job.
In conjunction with the North Carolina Business Committee for Education and the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, this is SECU’s seventh consecutive year participating in Students@Work, helping educators provide thousands of students with the opportunity to explore career pathways in the financial industry. “Reality of Money” simulations are popular at SECU and have become year-round events in local branches and schools, as well as in educational settings such as Students@Work, Distributive Education Clubs of America and Future Business Leaders of America conferences, reaching more than 23,000 students statewide in 2016, SECU said.
Karen Moorefield, Computer Skills and Application instructor for Daniels Middle School, brought 22 of her students to participate in the event. She noted, “They loved it! The students are so curious about ‘real life’ – this event was an eye-opener for them, especially the financial simulation. I think the single biggest thing they will take home is that life is a process and there is no instant gratification. The panel discussion with employees reinforced this concept as well, which was wonderful. I think they understood that the processes, getting from point A to point Z, are part of achieving their dreams, and you can’t beat that education.”
“Students@Work is a great community partnership and an incredible opportunity for the Credit Union to work with local educators to teach North Carolina’s youth important financial lessons that will help shape their future,” said Jimmy Goodrum, SECU Senior Vice President of Member Education and Outreach. “Combining the financial simulation with a career mentoring session is a practical and realistic effort, giving these young students a better view of the adult working world as it relates to personal finance, education and professions of interest.”