MANCHESTER, N.H. – What do a fashion designer, veterinarian and an ice cream tester all have in common? They are all career-paths chosen by teen counselors-in-training (CIT) at the Boys & Girls Club of Manchester.
Fifteen teens, commonly referred to as CITs, participated in a five-week CU 4 Reality Program sponsored by St. Mary’s Bank. The financial literacy program takes a hands-on practical approach to budgeting and financial education through real-world scenarios, the credit union noted.
The CITs, who are currently in training to be future camp counselors, learned about topics including budgeting and credit and how to make decisions about colleges and student loans. CIT’s also participated in a panel discussion with guest speakers about career choices and exploration.
The final week of the program, CITs were each provided with a monthly salary based on their personal career choices, and then had to make real-world decisions about rent, food, transportation, insurance, student loans and more, all while staying within their given budget.
Judi Window, Community Outreach at St. Mary’s Bank spoke to the CITs about discovering what they are passionate about and planning for their futures.
“It takes courage to choose something different like being an ice cream tester,” said Window. “It’s out of the ordinary, but we should empower our youth to do what they feel passionate about and explore all options.”
A team of six employees from St. Mary’s Bank volunteered at the CU 4 Reality Fair held at the Boys & Girls Club in Manchester on July 28, along with employees from America’s Credit Museum and the New Hampshire Higher Education Loan Corporation.