WEST CHESTER, PA — The only federal credit union to exclusively serve Chester County, Benchmark Federal Credit Union is providing an award-winning, accredited financial literacy program for schools and stay-at-home students as they continue remote learning during COVID-19.
Since 2016, Benchmark FCU has offered the financial literacy program free for kids age 8 to young adult in more than 60 public, private and parochial schools across Chester County. Now the program is newly adapted for remote learning and includes strategies for teachers to integrate into their distance learning plans.
“At a time when many in our community are experiencing financial uncertainty, it’s important for children to understand the basic and advanced financial concepts their families and their friends’ families are facing,” says Daniel J. Machon, Jr., President and CEO of Benchmark Federal Credit Union.
“Our goal is to assist with boosting financial literacy during COVID-19, in a format that also helps teachers supplement the continuous stream of engaging learning they’re trying to provide.”
Benchmark FCU partnered with Banzai, the creator of the interactive, online program which aligns with state curriculum requirements for personal finance education. It has become the largest program of its kind, servicing more than 60,000 teachers and available in all 50 states.
The program provides experience-based learning where students navigate real-life financial dilemmas, including paying bills and balancing a budget; as well as managing unexpected expenses such as parking tickets, interest charges and overdraft fees.
Students are also introduced to bank statements, entertainment costs, savings and more. Three program courses cover children from ages 8 to 12, teens from ages 13 to 17 and young adults from ages 18 and older. The Banzai Library is also packed with in-depth articles, interactive calculators and a virtual finance mentor called “The Coach.”
Teachers can access the complete curriculum of materials for free here, and students can access other program resources directly from Benchmark Federal Credit Union here.
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