About Financial Literacy

Since 2013, Pheple FCU has been steadily growing and developing our Partners in Learning Program, which is a unique interactive program designed to educate students of all ages on the importance of saving, money management, and developing healthy financial habits that they can use throughout their entire life. The program includes opportunities from kindergarten through college through various steps that follows students from our Save Day Program in the elementary schools to our high school student branches. We call this process Pheple FCU’s Path to Financial Literacy and it reaches students throughout their entire educational experience and beyond.

The Award Winning Little Savers Club and Cha-Ching Teen Savers Club gives students real-life financial experiences at an early age. Our goal is to educate your student about money management and the responsibilities that come with it.

Through the Save Day Program your student will have the opportunity to open a savings account with Pheple FCU and become a member of our financial institution.

What is unique about our Save Day Program is that it has been designed first and foremost as an educational tool. It offers an opportunity to experience real world personal finance in a safe, secure environment while having fun, too.

A “Save Day” is a designated day for your student to visit our mobile teller station and make a deposit into their account at school. Deposits can be as little as a penny; it’s not about the amount, it’s about teaching your student the healthy habit of saving. If your child completes all 8 months  of the school program the Credit Union will deposit a $5 bonus into your child’s account.

Save Day Programs

Pheple FCU currently partners with 18 local schools to help educate their student body, including over 1600 of Pheple FCU’s youth members. Each student is invited to take part in different steps along the Path of Financial Literacy regardless of their membership status.

Clubhouse Life Little Savers Club

It’s never too early to start saving. Pheple FCU’s Clubhouse Life Little Saver’s Club Program is designed for children in elementary school. This club allows your child to learn the basics of saving while having fun too!

Our Clubhouse Life Program offers a variety of programs including an Easter egg hunt, breakfast with Santa, and much, much more! Get your child’s financial future started off right by signing up today!

Cha-Ching Teen Savers Club

Today’s tweens and teens need to be financially savvy. It’s the time in their life when they need to learn how to manage and use money wisely. The Pheple FCU’s Cha-Ching! Teen Saver’s Club is designed for middle school students. This club allows your student to learn the basics of saving, spending, and budgeting!

Our Cha-Ching! Program offers products and services tailored to a teenager’s financial needs. Get your student headed in the right direction by stopping by signing up today!

High School Student Branches

In high school, students have more opportunities to learn about Financial Literacy. Teachers can request Pheple FCU’s Financial Literacy Team to guest speak in their class; programs offered feature a wide variety of financial topics from managing savings and checking accounts, to the difference between credit unions vs. banks, to credit reports or financial fraud.

Student Branches are another tool that helps prepare high school students for the future.  Pheple FCU currently has three student branches, the Warrior Cash Stash in Penn Trafford High School, the Kiski Area Cash Stash at Kiski Area High School, and the Centurion Cash Stash in Greensburg Central Catholic High School. Our Student Credit Union Branches are fully functioning credit union locations where high school students are employed to serve the financial needs of fellow students. Students who join become members of Pheple FCU and can enjoy checking, savings, and loan products specially designed for them. This allows students within each high school to engage with their peers to learn about finances, credit unions, and utilizing tools that are offered by financial institutions. Our student branches are open to students during lunch time for a convenient and reliable experience.

Since the opening of our first student branch in 2013, our student branches have employed dozens of high school students to run and market our student branches. These students are provided with a unique opportunity to learn about the financial industry, build their own person finance abilities, learn about the credit union movement, learn about the professional work force by working in both the student branches and our public Pheple FCU branches, and developing employment skills that can be used for life.

Many of our student tellers stay on staff and come back for internships or to work summers or holiday breaks. We strive to give each student teller the support and encouragement to succeed in whatever their next step may be. Our many success stories include our first-ever student teller, Matthew, who is now the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of our organization.

By joining your Student Credit Union Branch you become a part-owner of Pheple FCU with other members. Credit unions pay profits back to account holders, so you’ll earn more for your savings and pay less to use the services.

Keep up with the latest news by following @warriorcashstash and @kiskiareacashstash on Instagram and Facebook!

Learn more about the products and services available to high school students by clicking below.

The Vault by Pheple FCU

In 2020, we expanded our program into the college setting with the opening of our newest branch, The Vault by Pheple FCU, located at Westmoreland County Community College in Youngwood, Pennsylvania. This location extends the Path beyond high school and serves as a bridge into adulthood. This full-service branch is staffed by college interns, providing real-life experience to young adults getting ready to enter the workforce. After graduation, students still have the opportunity to expand their financial knowledge with events such as Pheple FCU’s Student Lending, Homebuyer, and IRA Seminars.

This location is located in the Student Achievement Center and is open to the public. Look for signs for designated parking in front of the building.

Keep up with the latest news by following The Vault @pheplewccc on Facebook and Instagram!

Financial Literacy Events

Each year, we host several annual events that emphasize the importance of financial literacy to students along various steps of their educational journey.

fin-lit-events
3rd Grade Author Visit</>

3rd Grade Author Visit

We sponsor author Floyd Stokes’ visit to local third grades to read his book “Save Day”, written specifically for the credit union about participating in our Save Day Programs.

5th Grade Discovery Days</>

5th Grade Discovery Days

Students have an opportunity to explore occupations with local businesses.

8th Grade Mini Reality Fair</>

8th Grade Mini Reality Fair

Students research and choose an occupation and then our credit union employees help them manage a monthly budget.

High School Reality Fair</>

High School Reality Fair

Students create monthly budgets based on their research and occupation choice, then meet with financial planners to review and balance their budgets.

Community Events

Pheple FCU encourages community involvement for our financial literacy programming as well. Events and fundraisers during the year such as seasonal raffle tickets, Food Truck Round-Ups, Breakfast with Santa, and Breakfast with the Easter Bunny provide opportunities for the community to support and learn about our programs and the impact they make on today’s youth. We work directly with youth outside of the school setting at events such as local Halloween Trunk or Treats, visiting local Girl Scout Troops, and working with local non-profits.

Current School Partnerships

We are currently partnered with 22 local schools:

  • Kiski Area School District

    • Kiski Area High School

    • Kiski Area Intermediate School

    • Kiski Area Upper Elementary

    • Kiski Area East Primary

    • Kiski Area North Primary

    • Kiski Area South Primary

  • Penn-Trafford School District

    • Penn-Trafford High School

    • Penn Middle School

    • Trafford Middle School

    • Sunrise Elementary

    • Level Green Elementary

    • Harrison Park Elementary

    • McCullough Elementary

    • Trafford Elementary

  • Jeannette City School District

    • Jeannette-McKee Elementary School

  • Diocese of Greensburg

    • Greensburg Central Catholic High School

    • Greensburg Central Catholic Junior High

    • Aquinas Academy

    • Mother of Sorrows School

    • Mary, Queen of Apostles

    • Queen of Angels

  • Westmoreland County Community College

Our Financial Literacy Team also speaks by teacher request in several other local school districts. If you would like to talk more about how we can partner with your school, please email school@pheplefcu.org or call our Manager of Financial Literacy at (724) 261-3641.

Pheple FCU has been recognized as a Leader in Financial Literacy by CrossState Credit Union Association. Please click below to read our award-winning submission about our Path to Financial Literacy.