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Summit’s ‘Project Teen Money’ preps local youth for financial independence

MADISON, WI (February 10, 2015) — Six students have been selected to compete in the second-annual Summit Credit Union ‘Project Teen Money’, a scholarship and peer-to-peer financial education program based at Summit’s in-school branches at La Follette High School and James Madison Memorial High School.

Between November and December, three students from each high school worked with a Summit financial coach, and used FoolProof, an online financial education resource, to create three short videos to share the tips and advice they learned about money to educate their peers.

Their first videos, featuring the theme “Why save & why start now,” are posted on Summit’s website and are available for viewing at: http://www.summitcreditunion.com/projectteenmoney.  The school community, each participants’ family as well as the community at large, are encouraged to vote for their favorite videos until Feb. 22.  The second set of student videos on the topic, “How to make smart spending decisions,” will be posted on Feb. 23 and voting will be open until March 8. The final set of videos, themed “Why give,” will be posted on March 9 and voting will be open until March 22.

In April, the student with the most points (based on overall creativity, financial education messaging, as well as total votes) will be awarded a $2,500 scholarship. All other participants will each receive a $500 scholarship.

The 2015 Project Teen Money participants include:

La Follette High School Students:

  • Amadou — a freshman who is in his school’s video club and Black Student Union,  works as a youth counselor at the East Madison Community Center, and plans to become a photographer, videographer or graphic artist
  • Anesha — a junior who participates in the Restorative Justice program and Science Olympiad at her school, is a junior leader at Allied Learning and dreams of becoming a neurologist or international doctor
  • Erika — a senior who is a member of the National Honors Society, vice president of the Lancer Student Support Foundation and co-president of Orgullo Latino Club, plans to major in social work in college

Memorial High School Students:

  • Ian — a sophomore who works on the school newspaper and makes films, plays soccer and ultimate frisbee, and plans to major in business or technology in college
  • Megan — a senior who plays hockey, soccer and tennis, volunteers her time and hopes to grow up to be a generous person
  • Tejvir — a freshman who is on the debate and math teams at his school, tutors peers, and dreams of becoming a doctor

Summit Credit Union’s Project Teen Money competition is an off-shoot of its successful Project Money reality-based financial challenge geared toward adults and families, which is kicking off its seventh-annual competition in June. Applications for the 2015 Project Money competition are available now at http://projectmoney.summitcreditunion.com/apply.  The application deadline is March 14, 2015.

About Summit Credit Union:
Established in 1935, Summit Credit Union is a member-owned financial cooperative open to anyone in Wisconsin. Summit holds $2.1 billion in assets and has more than 142,000 members with 30 locations throughout the Madison and Milwaukee areas. For more information, visit www.summitcreditunion.com or call 608-243-5000 or 1-800-236-5560.


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