Here’s to the {Youth Month} Class of 2025!

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Hi there, credit union friends,

Strolling through my neighborhood recently, I couldn’t help but notice the cars displaying window chalk well wishes, flags flying school colors, and yard signs proclaiming proud congratulations. Which can mean only one thing: Graduation season is here! 🎓

And my family has joined in on the festivities, as my oldest daughter “graduated” from preschool just last week.

Here’s to the Class of 2025!

One of my favorite features of this season of transitions? Superlatives! I’ve had my fair share—from “Most Spirited” in middle school to “Most Studious” in high school and “Most Likely to Show Up in Pearls” in college. (Blame that last one on attending a women’s institution!)

So in honor of April’s Credit Union Youth Month, let’s hand out a few superlatives of our own. No awkward yearbook photos required! 😉

— Most Likely to Be an Influencer —

​White Sands Federal Credit Union, with locations in Texas and New Mexico, took to social media to engage its young members all month long.

Utilizing our suite of themed materials, the credit union hosted a Money Mammals mystery event for youth account holders. Each week the White Sands FCU team posted a new money-smart clue to its Facebook page.

Young members then recorded the posted clues on a printable game sheet to determine which Money Mammal was saving for a goal, how much money they saved, and what item they were saving for.

Once these daring detectives cracked the case, they submitted their completed game sheets on the White Sands FCU website. And the prize for one lucky young member was a $100 account deposit! 💰

This interactive Youth Month programming not only drives engagement but also emphasizes a core money-smart skill: setting up and saving for goals. And learning good financial habits like this one is something White Sands FCU’s super sleuths won’t soon forget!

— Most Likely to Be an Event Planner —

Each year Maine Family Federal Credit Union turns a simple Youth Month campaign into a memorable, money-smart celebration.

Leveraging Spring Break, Maine Family FCU promotes engaging activities designed to attract kids. Last year’s offerings included:

  • Birdhouse building 🐦
  • Bookmark making 🔖
  • Story time with The Money Mammals 📚
  • Save jar decorating 🫙
  • Ice cream and games 🍦

And it’s not just young members who join in on the fun! The Maine Family FCU team—including VP of Marketing Rachel McKinley and VP of Member Services Kayleigh Ogden—gets hands-on, reinforcing the importance of sharing, saving, and spending smart.

This year, youth account holders even teamed up with Joe the Monkey to solve a money-smart mystery!

Perceptive P.I.s who used their quarterly newsletters and accompanying printables to crack “The Case of the Missing Banana Bunch” received prizes and $5 account deposits to jumpstart their financial journeys.

This initiative is more than marketing; it’s a blueprint for creating lasting financial education and community engagement.

— Most Likely to Festival Hop —

Iowa-based Community Choice Credit Union celebrated its one-year Money Mammals anniversary by throwing its own signature spring event, Mammalpalooza. 🎉

At the end of April, Community Choice CU welcomed current and prospective young members to one of its UNbanking centers with kid-centric activities like a bounce house, face painting, and spin art. And the main attraction was a Money Mammals banner for attendees to color.

The makings of a masterpiece!

But the money-smart fun didn’t stop there! Young UNbankers also had the opportunity to enter to win $250 deposited into their accounts. And any Mammalpalooza participants who deposited money into existing accounts or opened new accounts received bonus branded slime. (Take it from this mom: Slime is always a hit with the preschool and grade school crowds!)

Regarding this array of kid-friendly activities and prizes, Community Choice CU Marketing Manager Bryce Verlinden affirms,

“Providing an experience for your members that is fun and engaging is really what it is all about!”

📸: Tostoini on Giphy

Well, credit union friends, I hope you’ve enjoyed this selection of superlatives in honor of Youth Month. And as summer kicks off, I’d love to hear how your institution is helping young members become “Most Likely to Be Money-Smart.”

Until next time, here’s to putting our best fin lit flippers forward!

Erin Prim

Marketing Manatee