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Thanks to Northeast Community Credit Union, high school students in Northeast Tennessee have an opportunity rarely available to teens who may have not yet entered the workforce.  

Northeast Community Credit Union has put a “school branch” program in place in all five high schools located in Elizabethton/Carter County: Unaka High School, Elizabethton High School, Cloudland High School, Happy Valley High School, and Hampton High School. The credit union supplies the training as well as all resources necessary to operate the student branches. 

The credit union first established the in-school program in 2018; the need was clear for local students to experience hands-on financial training without extra expense to the school systems or additional time demands on school staff. With feedback from school personal finance instructors, the credit union developed the 16-week curriculum for students to learn skills while accumulating education credits and community service hours. 

Credit union staff are at each school weekly during the school year, teaching valuable life skills such as balancing a checkbook, proper business etiquette, cash handling, interviewing for a job, customer service skills, and how to make spending and saving plans. In addition to keyboard and data processing competencies, students learn about saving money, strategies for car shopping, how to use online financial tools, and career development options.

Bryson Brown, the credit union’s School Branch Coordinator, said, “The students are really into this program; teens get excited when they learn something they can apply immediately to their everyday lives. We want to help them develop sound financial habits early on because we know what a big impact those will have when they graduate and buy big-ticket items, get jobs, or go to college. Self-discipline and good money habits will positively impact their quality of life, and that’s important.” Students receive a certificate from Northeast Community Credit Union upon completion of the program. The schools pay nothing for the program since the credit union fully funds it.

Andrea Lewis, NCCU Business Development and Event Coordinator, says the big picture includes a desire to see an impact on communities and on the local economy, too. “By working with students, we hope to help teens overcome unproductive generational patterns. Students learn that being intentionally conservative in their spending habits, making wise decisions about careers, and being conscientious workers on the job are things to be proud of. They hopefully will get on the path to earning financial independence and breaking cycles of dependency.” 

Headquartered in Elizabethton, Northeast Community Credit Union was first established in 1952 as Elizabethton Teachers Credit Union; in time it evolved to serving the entire community and changed its name to Northeast Community Credit Union. The credit union’s mission has always been one of significant collaboration with local schools and businesses, so teaching financial literacy and supporting school projects and students financially through scholarships, participation, and involvement, are high priorities. Northeast Community Credit Union is open to serve individuals and businesses in Carter, Johnson, Sullivan, Unicoi, and Washington counties with office locations in Elizabethton, Johnson City, and Roan Mountain. More information can be found at BeMyCU.org.