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Home > Pressroom > Press Release Contact: Sue Helmreich
Ohio Credit Union League honors
individuals, Dublin, Ohio (May 7, 2003) – Two fourth graders talked about lessons from an economics class and a credit union that runs a store in a middle school shared success stories at the Ohio Credit Union League’s fourth annual Financial Education Summit on Tuesday, May 6. Credit union employees and volunteers and other individuals such as teachers who are involved in promoting youth financial education attended the summit at the League office in Dublin, Ohio. In addition to sessions on investing tools for all ages, and youth account program options, individuals and credit unions were honored for their financial literacy work. Kitty Dilley and Katie Camp received the League’s 2003 Ohio Educator Award for their outstanding contributions to financial education. Kitty Dilley, Marketing Manager at Medina County Federal Credit Union, was profiled by the Cleveland Plain Dealer for her financial education work. Dilley teaches sessions on building a credit history, spending cautiously to have money tomorrow, creating a budget, and money 101. The Plain Dealer profile reached a potential 481,000 readers. Katie Camp, education program manager for the Consumer Credit Counseling Service, assisted more than 1,900 individuals last year through financial education workshops. Participants included employees of Nationwide Insurance, students at local high schools, and clients of the CCCS program. Classes covered budgeting, home buying, managing your checkbook, identity theft, credit reports, and smart ways to manage debt. Two credit unions and the Northwest Chapter were honored with Desjardins Youth Financial Education Awards. The new awards are named after the founder of credit unions in North America and recognize credit unions and chapters for leadership on behalf of youth financial education. Garfield Community Credit Union is an award winner for its three-pronged approach to youth financial education: student banking, economic education, and internet education. Ohio University Employees Credit Union was recognized for the 17 financial education presentations its employees have made to 958 young people using materials from the National Endowment for Financial Education. The Northwest Chapter of Credit Unions won the award for its push to bring financial education to students in every high school in northwest Ohio. Chapter volunteers have contacted 24 high schools, and 15 are now using the NEFE materials. The Ohio Credit Union League presented Special Recognition Awards to three people who have made extraordinary contributions to financial education over the past year. The League presented the recognition awards to Dave Kinnard, Melissa Gregg, and Shirley June. Dave Kinnard, of Western CU in Columbus, shared financial education materials with 275 teachers at a conference for career based intervention professionals who help students at risk. At the conference, Kinnard gave a one-hour presentation in which he outlined the various financial ed tools available for teachers to use in their classes. Melissa Gregg of Sun FCU in Toledo, arranged for a presentation and booth space at a statewide teachers convention. At the convention, Gregg promoted the need for financial education in classrooms. Shirley June of Seven Seventeen CU in Warren, single-handedly taught basic financial skills to 765 students, most of whom are enrolled in the Mahoning Valley Jobs for Graduates program. The Ohio League was the first state credit union trade association in the nation to train credit union personnel on how to teach students about financial management. Materials are from the NEFE High School Financial Planning Program, which is a fully developed curriculum that credit unions can take into schools. The course teaches financial basics, including the importance of savings, how to avoid credit card abuse, investments, insurance, and how to prepare a budget. The materials are free to students, teachers, and school systems. One fourth of U.S. households has net assets under $10,000 and is considered wealth-poor, according to a report by the Consumer Federation of America, the National Credit Union Foundation, and the Credit Union National Association. Ohio credit unions recognize that financial literacy training for youth can help build saving habits that carry into adulthood.
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The Ohio Credit Union League, with offices in Dublin, is a state trade association representing more than 500 credit unions. Credit unions are not-for-profit financial institutions owned and democratically controlled by their members. Ohio credit unions provide savings, loans, and other consumer financial services to their nearly 3 million members. To learn more, visit www.OhioCreditUnions.org.
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