In April, Southern Energy Credit Union celebrated Financial Literacy Month by partnering to deliver two Bite of Reality events, impacting 300 high school students with hands-on financial education.
On April 24, the Credit Union joined Georgia Power to host a financial literacy event for seniors at Mays High School in Southwest Atlanta. The event focused on preparing students as they begin a new chapter post-high school.
Credit Union representative, Caitlin Brothers, hosted an interactive presentation on budgeting, saving and investing, and a panel discussion with Georgia Power Company and Southern Company Services employees who represented the diverse career paths possible within Southern Company. Each panelist also took the time to share advice from their individual approaches to budgeting and establishing their personal money habits in adulthood.
Brothers noted about the event, “With this stage of life comes newfound freedom and newfound responsibilities for these students, which makes it the perfect time to inspire them to start building a strong foundation of smart money habits.”
Following the presentation and panel discussion, students then took a ‘Bite of Reality.’ Members of the General Office Chapter of Citizens of Georgia Power volunteered alongside Credit Union representatives to help students navigate a day in the life of an adult with the gamified financial simulation.
During the simulation, students visited Merchant Stations to make purchases such as food, housing, transportation, and entertainment, representing the real-world financial responsibilities the students will encounter in the future. “For some students, graduation means the beginning of financial independence. This event helped prepare students for their next steps into adulthood by laying the groundwork for living within a set budget and achieving future financial success,” added Kristin Bachmann, another Credit Union representative participating in the event.
In support of its Empowering Education Initiative and to help students prepare for graduation, Georgia Power donated laptops to the entire senior class to conclude the event.
Following the event at Mays High School, the Credit Union teamed up with Southern Company Gas employee, Ayannes Stodghill, to host a financial literacy event for Exquisite P.E.A.R.L.S., a mentoring program impacting young women in high school. The program cultivates scholastic standards, fiscal responsibility, civic involvement, along with encouraging a positive self-image and strong social skills.
On April 26, Brothers and Bachman joined P.E.A.R.L.S. mentors and mentees at the Jason T. Harper Event Center in McDonough, Georgia to discuss the impact of technology and digital immediacy on our financial health and embracing a smart use of credit to build a strong financial foundation.
Similar to the Bite of Reality event at Mays High School, the P.E.A.R.L.S mentees took a ‘Bite of Reality’ following the presentation and discussion. The young women used the Bite of Reality App to lead them through the real-world simulation. Students received fictional personas with specific occupations, incomes, credit scores, families, and debt obligations. With that persona, the students then visited Merchant Stations, purchasing necessities such as food, housing, transportation, and childcare – all within the app.
Of the mentoring event, Brothers noted, “The simulation offered an opportunity for these students to practice their financial literacy and assess their financial decisions, giving them a feel for real-world financial responsibilities and decisions they’ll make in the future.”
Thank you to the volunteers, teachers, administrators, and our Credit Union partners who made this impact possible.
In April, Southern Energy Credit Union partnered to impact 300 high school students through financial education and Bite of Reality events in celebration of Financial Literacy Month.
You are about to navigate away from our site.
