Continuing their goal of helping to promote financial literacy to young people in the area, REGIONAL federal credit union is proud to announce the opening of their latest student branch at Valparaiso High School.
REGIONAL’s student credit union program is long running for the financial institution, spanning nearly 30 years, beginning with the opening of their first branch at Portage High School back in the early 1990s.
“All traditional credit union services will be available to students, with the exception of lending,” said Kevin Kosek, Vice President of Marketing and Business Development for REGIONAL. “Students will be able to open savings accounts as well as checking accounts.”
“There is a $1 minimum deposit to open an account, and students are required to maintain that $1 minimum balance, as their share of a member-owned financial institution,” Kosek said. “Students can access their account not just at the student branch or the local REGIONAL branches, but at any of 5,500 Shared Branch institutions across the country with just their photo ID.”
Initial hours for the Viking branch of REGIONAL are Tuesdays and Thursdays during student lunch periods at the school, and plans to include Friday hours are currently in the works, to allow students to withdraw money for use during special events.
Dr. Veronica Tobon, who serves as principal at Valparaiso High School, is happy to welcome REGIONAL to the high school.
“This is a great opportunity for our students to learn financial responsibility, and REGIONAL will be working in conjunction with our business classes, giving students the opportunity to learn that way, as well,” Tobon said.
“It’s extremely crucial to offer financial literacy in our schools, and REGIONAL offers this at no cost to the school,” Kosek said. “Our goal is to help teach financial literacy and financial responsibility.”
The REGIONAL’s Viking Branch is located inside of Valparaiso High School, inside the bookstore by the commons area, directly across from the school cafeteria.
For more information about REGIONAL federal credit union, visit them online at https://www.regionalfcu.org/
