San Diego County Credit Union^® (SDCCU ^®) is stepping up to help bridge the education gap so that kids can gain the skills they need for a successful future by donating the SDCCU Biz Kid$ program to teachers at Monarch School—a local school dedicated to educating San Diego’s homeless youth. The generous donation is part of a larger initiative to teach students about money and business in which SDCCU has partnered with San Diego County Office of Education and the County of San Diego in support of Live Well San Diego to give teachers throughout the county the opportunity to win the complete SDCCU Biz Kid$ Program.

“SDCCU is proud to partner with the San Diego County Office of Education and the County of San Diego to provide teachers the opportunity to receive the complete Biz Kid$ program. This comprehensive program is designed to teach students the basics of money and business to help them make better financial decisions early on and enhance their lives for years to come,” said Teresa Halleck, SDCCU president and CEO. “SDCCU is happy to donate the SDCCU Biz Kid$ program to Monarch School to help improve the financial future of kids in our community.”

Research shows that the average high-school graduate lacks basic skills to manage personal finances, many young people experience difficulty balancing a checkbook and half of Americans live paycheck to paycheck. For more of these statistics, view the SDCCU Biz Kid$ program infographic.

“Financial literacy in our schools is an important part of a child’s education and the San Diego County Office of Education is pleased to provide this valuable resource to local teachers, in partnership with the County of San Diego and San Diego County Credit Union,” said Dr. Randolph E. Ward, County Superintendent of Schools. “The SDCCU Biz Kid$ program will help lay the groundwork for students to begin building a successful financial future.”

“Today’s students will benefit years into the future from our new partnership with San Diego County Credit Union and the San Diego County Office of Education,” said County Supervisor Ron Roberts. “The ability to manage one’s money is a core element to achieving the County’s Live Well San Diego Thriving Strategy, which focuses on helping communities grow and enjoy the highest quality of life.”

Biz Kid$ is an award-winning comprehensive financial literacy program focused on teaching kids how to use credit wisely and the importance of saving, budgeting, investing and giving back to their communities. The program includes an Emmy award winning television series, free classroom curriculum, outreach activities, and a website for kids 9-16 years old. Biz Kid$ is the first national public television series promoting financial education for elementary through high school students and was created by the same team that produced “Bill Nye the Science Guy”. All of the Biz Kid$ episodes are based on national standards for financial literacy and entrepreneurship education and have been mapped to individual state standards.

“As San Diego’s largest locally-owned financial institution, and a Live Well San Diego partner, we understand that encouraging and maintaining good financial health among individuals in our communities is essential to fostering a healthy and thriving economy,” said Halleck. “SDCCU is committed to helping teachers, students and individuals in communities where we live and work make educated financial decisions by delivering the BEST financial education, products and services.”

Now through June 12, educators are encouraged to enter to win the SDCCU Biz Kid$ program. For official rules and to enter to win, visit sdccu.com/classroomheroes.

Launched in 2008 in partnership with the National Credit Union Foundation (NCUF), the overall objective of Biz Kid$ is to engage young people and help them develop life skills in the areas of financial literacy and entrepreneurship. Since its inception, Biz Kid$ has aired on over 340 public television stations and has reached more than 65 million viewers.

The NCUF’s vision is making financial freedom achievable through credit unions. The NCUF believes that all consumers should have the education, tools and resources needed to achieve financial freedom. Through NCUF grants and programs, credit unions provide widespread financial education, create greater access to affordable financial services and empower more consumers to save, build assets and own homes.

The County Board of Supervisors launched Live Well San Diego in 2010 with the goal of achieving healthy, safe and thriving communities across the region by partnering with community and city leaders, schools, businesses, non-profit organizations and residents.

San Diego County Credit Union is San Diego’s largest locally-owned financial institution serving San Diego, Riverside and Orange counties. SDCCU has assets of $6.9 billion, over 286,000 customers, more than 35 convenient branch locations and 30,000 surcharge-FREE ATMs. SDCCU provides breakthrough banking products that meet the demands of today’s lifestyle and delivers banking services that save customers money. SDCCU is leading the way, offering FREE Checking with eStatements, SDCCU Mobile Deposit, mortgage loans, auto loans, Visa^® credit cards and business banking services. Federally insured by NCUA. Equal Housing Opportunity. Equal Opportunity Employer. For more information, visit www.sdccu.com.