The virtual workshops provided students with realistic examples of financial situations, demonstrating the connection between their choices and the economic consequences of those decisions. "The reason to bring Mad City Money with a Bite of Reality to Benicia High School (BHS) is to give seniors, who are about to embark on life in the real world, a taste of the financial challenges they will face as adults and a recognition that they need to know the rules of the economic game in life if they hope to win!" said Joan R. Westerman, Economics Teacher at BHS, "I hope MCM will awaken them to the economic realities of adulting and motivate them to learn Economics."
Mad City Money not only helps youth to learn how to effectively manage their money, but also have a better understanding how to prevent and manage financial ups and downs. Having visited all of the virtual merchants, the students had the opportunity to review their budgets and choices with a mentor from the Mad City Money team. During the discussion, the students reviewed their purchases, talked about savings, and discussed ways to avoid common financial mistakes in the future.
“I have been a Mad City Money volunteer for 5 years now. I love the way Travis converted the content to a virtual platform. I can hear the same excitement in the young folks' voices as they make their purchasing decisions as I did in person. The virtual program was well thought through and went very smoothly. Great job all around!” said a longtime volunteer and Executive Director for the Youth Finance Institute of America, Amiko Foster.
This free educational event is now offered by Travis Credit Union Foundation virtually or in person in order to accommodate the needs of the students and give flexible presentation options to local high schools and non-profit organizations. By offering a variety of delivery options, Travis Credit Union Foundation has the opportunity to reach even more students and build upon important money management skills, helping them to shape the foundation of a stronger financial future. Since starting the Mad City Money initiative in 2009, Travis Credit Union and Travis Credit Union Foundation have helped over 6,000 students in their journey to financial literacy.
The Travis Credit Union Foundation was founded in 2018 as a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation dedicated solely to charitable and educational causes. The Foundation supports financial education, literacy, and wellness initiatives and is the philanthropic arm of Travis Credit Union (traviscu.org). The Travis Credit Union Foundation's mission is to build financially empowered communities and its vision is to create philanthropic solutions for building sustainable financial wellness in communities for generations to come. One hundred percent of the funds raised go back to the community.
For more information on how you can bring Mad City Money to your school, contact Steward Pimienta Smith at [email protected]