FROM THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

September 29, 2004
JS-1991

Iannicola Teaches Credit Management Class to Carson City High School Students in Nevada

Treasury's Deputy Assistant Secretary for Financial Education, Dan Iannicola, Jr., today taught a credit management class and personal finance skills to high school students at the Greater Nevada Credit Union's Carson High School Educational Branch.  Iannicola discussed federal financial education resources available for use by credit unions in their financial education programs.  Iannicola visited with the students employed at the credit union branch at the high school and answered questions for them.

Iannicola told the students about how managing credit wisely can help them establish a good credit history.  He also emphasized how doing so can help them achieve important life goals like obtaining a higher education, getting a job and becoming owners of their own homes.  "The Greater Credit Union Education Branch is a great use of experiential learning to help raise students' financial awareness," said Iannicola.  "Both the student workers and the student members are learning how to responsibly manage a relationship with a financial institution.  This is a skill that will benefit them their entire lives."

Iannicola thanked the Greater Nevada Credit Union for their efforts to help improve the financial literacy of students in Carson City, specifically through the branch located inside Carson High School.  The 250 square foot Carson High School Educational Branch opened in 1996 and is designed to give students an opportunity to receive "real world" job experience and learn about managing money.

Established in 1949, Greater Nevada Credit Union is a not-for-profit financial institution that is owned by its membership and offers a full range of consumer banking services. The Greater Nevada Credit Union also provides financial literacy support by teaching classes, as requested by schools and other organizations, using materials from The National Endowment for Financial Education.

The Department of the Treasury is a leader in promoting financial education.  Treasury established the Office of Financial Education in May of 2002. The Office works to promote access to the financial education tools that can help all Americans make wiser choices in all areas of personal financial management, with a special emphasis on saving, credit management, home ownership and retirement planning.  The Office also coordinates the efforts of the Financial Literacy and Education Commission, a group chaired by the Secretary of Treasury and composed of representatives from 20 federal departments, agencies and commissions, which works to improve financial literacy and education for people throughout the United States.  For more information about the Office of Financial Education visit: www.treas.gov/financialeducation.

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