Choice One provides remote financial literacy learning to local schools

The Times Leader, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
·2 min read

Jun. 2—WILKES-BARRE — Choice One Community Credit Union has stepped up to make partial or full remote learning in the wake of COVID-19 easier.

Thanks to their sponsorship, more than 2,620 students and teachers at 17 schools in Luzerne County have free access to Banzai — an award-winning online financial literacy program and content library of articles, calculators and personalizable coaches.

All of these resources are available to students at home or in the classroom via any device that can access the internet.

"The Banzai program will become an integral part of my curriculum," said educator Philip Rodzon at Wilkes Barre Career and Tech Center. "I am a trade instructor that also teaches a certification class that stresses the development of soft skills and workforce expectations and etiquette. The Banzai program dovetails nicely with these key elements, as our students enter the workforce and begin independent lives."

"Banzai is a web-based financial literacy program. Kids get their own accounts, and they work through assignments that are based on real life," says Morgan Vandagriff, co-founder of Banzai. "But because Choice One Community Credit Union is sponsoring it, local schools get it for free. More than ever, it's important that kids develop sound financial skills to prepare them for the real world, and Choice One Community Credit Union realizes that and they're doing something about it."

Banzai content builds a foundation of practical knowledge and gives students the tools to create a sound financial future. While students learn, teachers can easily monitor and grade their progress remotely.

After finishing Banzai, students will know how to track where their money is and what it's for, recognize financial trade-offs, build a budget, and more.

At a time when many are facing unprecedented financial challenges, these lessons are invaluable. The Banzai resources are available at choiceone.teachbanzai.com.

Choice One Community Credit Union is working with Banzai to build financial literacy in the Luzerne County community by investing time, money, industry experience, and a variety of credit union resources. Beyond the Banzai library, Choice One Community Credit Union also offers virtual or in-classroom presentations from local experts on timely topics.

Banzai resources are used by more than 80,000 teachers across the U.S. The courses align with Pennsylvania's state curriculum requirements, making the program a fun way for students to gain vital financial literacy skills.

Teachers interested in using the Banzai program with their class can visit choiceone.teachbanzai.com or call 888-8-BANZAI.

For more information about Banzai visit banzai.org

For more information about Choice One Community Credit Union visit choiceone.org