Throughout the summer, seniors Phu Do, Samantha Russ and Josh Fournier, all of Chicopee, worked as teller trainees at the credit union's main office and at various branches.
CHICOPEE - The Polish National Credit Union's Chicopee Comprehensive High School student tellers are prepared for the school year.
Three student tellers will operate the Polish National Credit Union branch at Chicopee Comprehensive.
Throughout the summer, seniors Phu Do, Samantha Russ and Josh Fournier, all of Chicopee, worked as teller trainees at the credit union's main office and at various branches. They have received the same comprehensive, formal training program that all credit union tellers go through.
During the school year, the students will also work at credit union branches on Saturdays and during school breaks.
The Chicopee Comp branch is a full-service location operated each year entirely by three senior student interns trained and supervised by school banking supervisors Celia Wolanin and Urszula Kulig. Students have access to the full range of checking and savings account products, but loan products are not available at the school location.
The branch is open to students, faculty and staff from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday.
The in-school branch program is a component of the Polish National Credit Union's Community Outreach and Financial Literacy initiative. Credit union President and CEO Jim Kelly commented on the program.
"What better way to bring our Financial Literacy program to the young people of our communities, than to do it right in the school, training students in the science of money and banking, and training them to educate younger students in the school system?" he said. "And our student tellers get great training and a nice summer job. This is a wonderful program for the school and our community, and the PNCU is happy to invest our time, money and expertise in it."
Founded in 1921, the Polish National Credit Union is one of the largest credit unions in the Pioneer Valley. Headquartered on Main Street in Chicopee, the credit union operates full-service branches in Chicopee Center, Granby, Westfield, Southampton, Hampden, Wilbraham and a stand-alone Mortgage Center on Main Street in Chicopee.