Michigan credit union gives students tools to make good financial decisions as adults
LANSING, Mich. – LAFCU hosted its fourth annual Financial Reality Fair at Lansing Christian School to teach high school seniors the importance of budgeting, saving, and investing with an interactive, hands-on, 1.5-hour activity.
“This activity is great because I’m actually able to plan out what I want to do once I graduate and how I’m going to pay for my life once I no longer live with my parents,” said Hannah Evans, Lansing Christian senior.
The April 27 event took place during National Financial Literacy Month, an annual observance that raises awareness of the importance of financial literacy and maintaining smart money management habits. Lansing Christian seniors visited 13 booths, staffed by employees and Lansing Christian faculty, to review expenses from housing to transportation to simulate one month of independent living and make decisions based on pre-selected careers, assigned credit scores, and estimated salaries.
At the final station, a LAFCU financial counselor helped students explore ways to improve their decision-making and financial future.
LAFCU Financial Reality Fairs are presented with assistance from the Michigan Credit Union Foundation, which offers materials and training designed to impact how teens view finances.
“Financial stability is based on smart, daily decisions,” said Shelia Scott, LAFCU community financial education & business development officer. “The LAFCU Financial Reality Fair provides students with an eye-opening, educational activity that allows them to see firsthand how much things cost, from rent to insurance, and the importance of budgeting and making sound financial decisions as adults.”
About LAFCU
Chartered in 1936, LAFCU is a not-for-profit financial cooperative open for membership to anyone who lives, works, worships or attends school in Michigan and to businesses and other entities located in Michigan. The credit union serves more than 74,000 members and holds over $986 million in assets. It was named a Best Credit Union to Work For in 2020. LAFCU offers a comprehensive range of financial products and services as well as an expanding complement of financial technology solutions. Members enjoy benefits such as low fees, low-interest rates on loans, high yields on savings, discounts, knowledgeable employees and nationwide access to fee-free ATMs. As a recipient of the national Dora Maxwell Social Responsibility Community Service Award for credit unions, LAFCU enriches its communities by supporting many organizations and causes. To learn more about LAFCU, call 800.748.0228 or visit www.lafcu.com.
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Photo captions
LAFCU-Fair-1.jpeg – Shelia Scott, LAFCU community financial education & business development officer, speaks to Lansing Christian seniors during the school’s fourth annual LAFCU Financial Reality Fair.
LAFCU-Fair-2.jpeg – Kellie Swiger, LAFCU creative director, and Morgan Pray, assistant manager of LAFCU’s West Lansing Branch, smile between helping Lansing Christian students choose their housing based on their annual salaries and credit scores.
LAFCU-Fair-3.jpeg – At one of the 13 booths at the Financial Reality Fair, Zac Williams, LAFCU marketing data analyst, counsels a group of Lansing Christian students on how to make good budgetary decisions based on their pre-selected careers and estimated annual salaries.
LAFCU-Fair-4.jpeg – Kellie Swiger, LAFCU creative director, helps Lansing Christian School students choose a suitable housing option based on their assigned annual salaries to instill smart money management habits and raise awareness of the importance of good financial decision-making.
LAFCU-Fair-5.jpeg – Volunteering to help students learn the skills of financial stewardship are LAFCU employees, from left, Morgan Pray, Alyssa Troub, Ambera Bedard, Melissa Whiteman, Patricia Forsyth, Shelia Scott, Kellie Swiger, and Zac Williams.
