Conversation With... Banking Program Offers Practical Experience, Financial Literacy Since 2010, the Christian Financial Credit Union (CFCU) has been affiliated with De La Salle, both in and out of the classroom. CFCU created an actual branch within De La Salle, staffed by a branch administrator and students who are enrolled in the yearlong DLS Banking class. The class focuses on various aspects of Banking as well as Financial Literacy. Included in the conversation were Mr. Patrick Adams (Principal of De La Salle), Mr. Dennis Koch, (DLS Faculty), Mrs. Aarran Meier (CFCU at DLS Branch Administrator), and Ms. Christine Quitter (Business Development Director for CFCU).
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De La Salle has had an outstanding academic curriculum, with College Preparatory, Honors, and Advanced Placement classes. Why create a coop program within the school and add a Banking class? Patrick: At my previous school, I brought in a full-service credit union for the students to work in and have as a resource. It emerged mainly from witnessing the power of the co-op program and the influence it had on the students. There was motivation and commitment there that was apparent in the kids that were able to exercise the opportunity. When I came to DLS I began the same process. We brought in three credit unions who responded to my solicitation for setting up a full-service operation complete with a course in banking.
As part of their March trip to Chicago, DLS Banking students visited the Chicago Board of Trade. (L. to R.) Mrs. Aarran Meier, Paul DiTrapani, Mr. Dennis Koch, Alex Poulos, Rick Santelli of CNBC, Nate Nordstrom, Jonathan Evans, Michael Smigiel, and James Stehlin. CFCU was the top candidate and was chosen for their passion, commitment to the community, and fidelity to our Lasallian Catholic mission. From CFCU’s perspective, what’s the aim of the program? Christine: We have several goals. One is to provide financial literacy, and another is to provide the students with practical job experience. For CFCU, it’s an opportunity to build a customer base with not only the students but also their parents. And it’s good for us to have students who are interested in the banking industry gain some practical experience. They’re not just a teller. We expose the kids to other aspects of the banking industry, such as marketing and accounting.
Aarran: We don’t just educate students in class. They are able to help their peers have a better understanding of financial literacy. It’s a nice foundation for going out in the real world. The opportunity to be in a Banking Class and to get practical training and experience attracts a lot of students. What goes into the selection process? Christine: We know that the school begins its course registration process with students in February, so we start in January. Students fill out the same employment application that we have at CFCU, and then we interview students. We encourage lots of kids to apply. About 25 apply each year, and we select 10 - 12.
