[September 2, 2008]
Mansfield, Texas – For students at Ben Barber Career Tech Academy, it’s hands-on learning with a real-life twist.
Texas Trust Credit Union’s newest branch location–inside the Ben Barber Career and Technology Academy, in the Mansfield Independent School District–provides students life skills learned by actually operating a real credit union. The credit union opened the branch in late July.
Officials with the Texas Trust Credit Union say the concept of having the branch at the school is to prepare students for future jobs in finance or to help them manage their own personal finances.
“Ben Barber provides us with an incredible opportunity to empower young people with financial education, provide students with on-the-job credit union experience, serve our existing members and extend our services to others,” says Jim Gray, president and CEO of the credit union.
Two students on campus assist in running the branch’s daily operations. They receive real-life experience and school credit. A seasoned assistant branch manager from the credit union oversees its operations.
Dr. Ed Foster, MISD director of Career and Technical Education, explains that those who are eligible to apply are junior and senior students who are enrolled in the National Academy Foundation, Academy of Finance program of courses, specifically designed to help students go into a career in business and finance. “The Ben Barber, Texas Trust partnership is providing students with an opportunity to experience work as it is in the real world. As a result of this experience, they will become better students, better employees, and better citizens. We appreciate Texas Trust for investing in the education of our students, after all these students are our future,” says Dr. Foster.
According to Kristal Zahirniak, Ben Barber Assistant Branch Manager, the students have already completed their initial training and are currently serving credit union members. “The branch offers every type of service so the students get exposed to a variety of areas such as opening and closing accounts, conducting teller transactions, selling money orders, and balancing their drawers,” Zahirniak says.
The credit union's high school branch is located in a 500-square-foot space designed to accommodate a financial institution. A Texas Trust Credit Union ATM is located in the Ben Barber parking lot and is available for the community to conveniently use.
The Ben Barber Career Tech Academy provides students from all MISD high schools to select career and technology courses that are consistent with their career path. Students learn thru business partnerships, student internships, certifications, licensures, college credit and hands-on educational experiences. Through a partnership with Mansfield Independent School District, Texas Trust will teach additional financial education sessions to high school students as well as workshops for parents and teachers.
Special offers and a new product line for public servants have also been established to better serve the school district. Additionally, a new MISD high school mascot debit card is now available for school supporters to show their spirit and commemorate this partnership.
Open House and Ribbon Cutting September 4, 2008
Texas Trust Credit Union, founded in 1936, is a community credit union serving residents of Tarrant, Dallas and Henderson Counties along with parts of Johnson and Ellis counties. Texas Trust has a little over $550 million in assets, 167 employees, seven branch locations, seven ATM locations and almost 58,000 members.
Mansfield Independent School District is one of the fastest growing and culturally diverse school districts in the state of Texas. In the 2008-09 school year, the enrollment is expected to increase to over 31,000 students. MISD boundaries encompass the city of Mansfield, sections of Arlington, Grand Prairie, Burleson, and other areas which ad up to 94.5 square miles of Tarrant and Johnson Counties.
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