Premier Members Credit Union launches Money 360- a financial literacy program
Chavez Huerta K-12 Preparatory Academy in Pueblo to incorporate program into curriculum
DENVER, CO (September 27, 2023) — Premier Members Credit Union (PMCU) announced today the launch of Money 360, a new platform that provides targeted financial literacy education using a digital app as well as a classroom-based, curated financial literacy curriculum for students 13 and older. Chavez Huerta K-12 Preparatory Academy in Pueblo, Colo. is the inaugural school PMCU is partnering with to launch the program.
“PMCU is committed to leading the charge with effective financial literacy education in partnership with school districts, teachers, and partner organizations across the Front Range,” said Jeffrey Kash, AVP of Community Relations with PMCU. “Teaching financial literacy to our youth is essential and the goal of Money 360 is to make learning fun, simple, and social, providing financial education to all.”
Money 360 is an app with a classroom component, that provides gamified financial literacy lessons with rewards-based incentives. The app, available in both English and Spanish, includes over 800 modules on 54 different topics, from opening a bank account to saving for retirement – and everything in between. When correctly answering questions, learners earn points in the form of Pineapples, which can be redeemed as monetary donations to vital Colorado-specific nonprofits including Mile High United Way, The Latin American Educational Foundation, and Mental Health Colorado. As the program grows, there will be the opportunity for vendor partners to include more nonprofits.
“We are excited to be partnering with Premier Members Credit Union and launching the Money 360 program at our school. Our hope is that students will learn the importance of managing finances and build on this knowledge,” said Theresa Martinez-Blasing, Ed.S. High School Counselor/Director Early College Program/K-12 Gifted and Talented Coordinator with Chavez Huerta K-12 Preparatory Academy. “Our staff was impressed with the program’s real-life scenarios for students to learn from and now that the pineapples are going towards charity and teaching them about the importance of philanthropy, this can actually open the door for them towards their community service hours which they all need to complete.”
Each school that participates with PMCU in its Money 360 program is given their own QR Code to access the program. This specific QR code to download the App will allow administrators to report total usage, demographics of users, most popular subject matters, and how much their students are learning.
“Our hope is that this program reaches beyond the school district and the students but also engages with their families, faculty, staff, and even cousins at neighboring districts,” added Kash.
For more information about how to implement PMCU’s Money 360 program into school curriculum, click here.
About Premier Members Credit Union
Premier Members Credit Union is a not-for-profit financial institution dedicated to providing financial solutions to individuals and businesses in Colorado’s Front Range. With more than 77,000 members, $1.7 billion in assets, and 19 retail branches, Premier Members is a leader in the credit union industry. In addition to being at the forefront of the industry in sustainable business practices, Premier Members takes pride in giving back to the communities it serves, supporting a wide variety of partnerships with charitable and sustainable organizations like Community Foundation Boulder County, Eco Cycle, Impact on Education, Jack’s Solar Garden, United Way, Westminster Public Schools Foundation, and others. In 2021, Premier Members Credit Union was awarded first place in the Dora Maxwell Social Responsibility Community Service Award and has also been recognized as a Civic 50 Honoree each year since 2020, where the credit union was recognized as one of the 50 most community-minded companies in Colorado. To learn more, visit pmcu.org
