Timpview High School students now make transactions, deposits and withdrawals right from the comfort of their own school.

Utah Community Credit Union and Timpview High School have teamed up to encourage students to learn about financial management. Early last month, students were encouraged to open accounts at the credit union which was opened inside the school.

Principal George Bayles said he is glad to have the credit union in the school to help the students learn.

"Having a branch in the school is helping students be more financially responsible," Bayles said. "If we can teach them now then they can be ready for the future."

The UCCU branch, known as the "T-Bird Branch," is only open during lunchtime so it doesn't interrupt class. All services other branches offer are available to the faculty and students. However, students cannot obtain loans or open personal checking accounts at the school.

"The bank is a real positive addition to our school," Bayles said. "The branch is pretty strict and responsible and it would be tough for a student to abuse the opportunity that we have given them by having the branch in our school."

UCCU offered its services to Provo High School, which opened a branch about a year ago and has reported success. So when UCCU offered to put a branch into Timpview, Bayles accepted the offer.

"If Provo High didn't like the bank we wouldn't have put one in our school," Bayles said. "Provo High only had positive things to say about the bank, which makes us excited to have one."

Students are given the opportunity to apply and intern at the credit union during lunch hours.

Britania Freeze, a senior at Timpview High, said interning for the credit union is a valuable experience.

"The internship is great for me because then I get hands-on experience," Freeze said. "It's fun, a good career option and it's good to learn and know about banking."

Freeze said the credit union also benefits her fellow classmates as well.

"It's really convenient for the students here because they can do their banking right at school," Freeze said. "A lot of kids have started asking questions about banking and they are starting to figure out how banking works."

Kellie Thomson, a three-year UCCU employee, goes to Timpview every day at lunch to help the interns run the branch.

"Having a branch here is a great benefit for the students because it's good for them to get established early with a bank account," Thomson said. "Because the branch helps teach teenagers to manage their finances, they will become more stable in banking as adults."

Copyright Brigham Young University 6 Nov 2008