NCUF Grantee Uses Biz Kid$ to Help Students Stand Out in Workforce

WASHINGTON, Oct. 1 -- The National Credit Union Foundation issued the following news release:

Travis Credit Union teamed up with the Fairfield-Suisun Chamber of Commerce, Solano County Office of Education (SCOE), and the Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District to create a Work-Ready Certification (WRC) Program to help students stand out in the workforce.

Designed to validate that students have the necessary entry-level skills as identified by the local business and industry community, the WRC Program enables students to be both successful in the workplace and also become contributing citizens of the community, both locally and globally. Travis Credit Union received a Biz Kid$ Financial Education Grant from the National Credit Union Foundation (NCUF) to help fund this initiative.

A key element of the WRC Program is the Biz Kid$ curriculum. Sponsored by Travis Credit Union, the Biz Kid$ courses teach students how to make and manage their money, sharpen their entrepreneurial skills, and succeed at financial planning. As part of the WRC program, Biz Kid$ was successfully implemented in all six school districts of Solano County, which serves mostly low-income students.

"As a stakeholder in our community, Travis Credit Union strives to empower our members and communities with information and knowledge that helps them understand their options, make smart choices, and take charge of their financial lives," said Sherry Cordonnier, Director of Corporate Relations at Travis Credit Union. "We recognize the importance of financial literacy in helping our students be successful in the workplace, and we are pleased to partner with Solano County Office of Education to offer the Biz Kid$ program."

"Credit unions can use the Biz Kid$ program to make a difference in their communities and improve people's financial lives," said Danielle Brown, Director of Development & Donor Relations for NCUF. "As Travis CU's efforts demonstrate, there are so many ways the program can be used to teach kids the skills they need to be financially literate."

Over the past year, Travis CU has reached 3,645 students through their Biz Kid$ financial education-related programs. As they continue to expand the program, Travis CU anticipates over 19,000 students being impacted over the next five years.

A Foundation Grant at Work

This "Grant at Work" is part of a series that highlights NCUF grantees who made a positive impact in their community and are empowering consumers to achieve financial freedom through credit unions. NCUF grants are made possible by supporters of the Foundation.

Biz Kid$ - Teaching Kids about Money & Business

Biz Kid$ is a financial literacy initiative launched nationally in January 2008 that teaches kids about money and business. The initiative includes an award-winning TV series, free classroom curriculum, outreach activities, and a website targeting children 9 - 16 years old. NCUF is responsible for the fundraising and outreach of the program, and a coalition of over 300 credit unions and affiliates from across the country have helped exclusively fund Biz Kid$.

Many credit unions leverage Biz Kid$ to teach financial education in schools in their community. In addition to NCUF's box sets and starter kits (http://www.ncuf.coop/home/programs/bizkids/support_bizkid$/support_bizkid$.aspx), companion materials and other resources for teachers and parents are available at no cost on the Biz Kid$ website, bizkids.com. The site also features clips from the series and invites kids to appear on the show. For more information about Biz Kid$, click here (http://www.ncuf.coop/home/programs/bizkids/bizkids.aspx).

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