TMHS students gain valuable financial knowledge at the “Credit for Life” event, sponsored by the Tewksbury Federal Credit Union, as they prepare for the realities of the real world.
On Wednesday, January 29th Tewksbury Federal Credit Union sponsored and conducted a “Credit for Life” reality fair for the junior class of Tewksbury Memorial High School. With the help of 40 community volunteers from local businesses, 188 students gained hands-on experience in financial decision-making. They selected a career, received a monthly salary, and navigated expenses such as housing, transportation, insurance, healthcare, and more—all while managing a budget, checking and savings accounts, and credit cards. Maureen Montecalvo, CEO of TFCU, closed the credit union for the morning so that the entire staff could volunteer.
Among other comments, students noted that they learned “not to put too many things on (their) credit card,” that “saving for retirement is important,” and that they should “deposit more money into (their) savings account.”
In addition to this incredible learning experience, the Greater Lowell Community Foundation will donate $1,000 to the Tewksbury Community Pantry as a philanthropic Impact Award on behalf of the TMHS Class of 2026, as determined by student votes.
Gratia Gosselin, Financial Education/Community Relations at TFCU and Mary Jo Kelleher, CTBE Department Lead/STEM Pathways Coordinator, Mathematics/Business Teacher at TMHS led the undertaking of bringing “Credit for Life” to the high school.
“The positive feedback from students, teachers, parents, and community members has ensured that we will continue offering this valuable experience to future classes.” – Mary Kelleher
“I’ve been a Certified Educator in Personal Finance for over 10 years, and I believe it’s one of the most important skills we can teach teens before they head into the workforce or college. Currently, 35 states require high school students to take a course in personal finance to graduate, and Massachusetts is not one of them. We need to do better for our youth. “Credit for Life” is a glimpse into the future and can be very eye-opening for students. My hope is that it will help them discover their relationship with money and begin their personal finance journey.” – Gratia Gosselin
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