Myra Startup, like most credit union tellers, helps open up savings and checking accounts and processes deposits. The only difference is Startup is only 17 years old and a senior at Provo High School where she works at a credit union that just opened in her high school.

Because of a bill passed into law by the Utah State Legislature, Startup has to take a finance class, which used to be optional, in order to meet her graduation requirement as a senior.

Just like Startup, all graduating students beginning with the graduating class of 2008, must complete a general financial literacy course, before they can graduate.

To help make their financial literacy course practical, memorable and more interesting, Utah Community Credit Union has opened a student-run branch inside Provo High School with its grand opening Tuesday.

Startup was one of six student interns selected to work at this student-run branch.

"It has been a great experience so far and I hope I'll be able to apply the things I will learn from doing this to my future career," Startup said.

Brad Norton, vice president of marketing and development at UCCU, said the branch should give students like Startup the opportunity to do just that.

"Through this student-run educational branch, Provo High School and Utah Community Credit Union are helping the students apply the skills they are learning in the classroom in a safe, hands-on learning environment," Norton said.

The branch will provide an opportunity for six student interns per year, and, with supervision, they will be primarily responsible for all the transactions that take place.

"There will be one UCCU full-time employee from our stadium branch who will visit the school on a daily basis to oversee the transactions and work of the students," Norton said.

Although not a fully functional branch, it provides opportunities for the students to learn. They will be responsible for processing deposits in saving accounts. They will also be able to open and process checking account transactions for students if the students have signed consent from parents.

Randon Olson, work-base learning coordinator for Provo High School, said the experience would give the students a career opportunity. He also said it will give them an advantage after high school for employment as well as an opportunity to grow and become financially responsible.

In order for the students to become skilled and effective in carrying out the transactions in the branch, they underwent two extensive weeks of training.

"They spent the first week in class learning how it will all work out," said Liz Seaver, a corporate trainer for UCCU.

Seaver said though she is most accustomed to training adult employees, she has been impressed with the students.

"They have proved to be more capable and more qualified than anyone I've ever trained, or at least as good or better than a lot of the tellers we already have working for us," she said. "They are so smart, and they bring such a fun and funky attitude. It's been great to work with them. I have absolute confidence in them."

At the end of the program, the interns will receive $500 college scholarships and a full-time job with UCCU if they choose.

This year's six interns are Myra Startup, Adrianne Hansen, Lena Robbins, Alieshia Dudley, Heather Bolton and Shelby Merideth.



Copyright Brigham Young University 20 Sep 2007