Six high school students are spending this summer working at Achieva Credit Union branches — serving members, processing transactions and getting paid for it.
They got there through a personal financial literacy course taught by Angeline Academy of Innovation teacher Chad Mallo, who spent two decades in banking before he started teaching. When he was handed the curriculum three years ago, he noticed it tracked closely with the Certified Financial Counselor credential he had earned as an Achieva employee.
So he called Achieva’s CEO. The deal that came out of it lets up to 10 students a year earn that certification, a credential the credit union normally reserves for select employees. Students who pass become eligible for paid internships.
This summer’s group — Chris Vargas, Jacob Malone, Kendyl Mathews, Samuel Ossa, Santanna Broxton and Sarah Daniel — is working across three branches under the Students on the Job Learning program.
It’s the second summer of the partnership. Mallo said he hopes to expand it.