BANGOR – The Bangor Chapter of Credit Unions and the Maine Credit Union League organized and coordinated the state’s third Financial Fitness Money Management Experience on May 17 at Eastern Maine Community College.

In an event presented by Maine’s credit unions, more than 75 students from five area high schools participated – Bangor High School, Brewer High School, Bucksport High School, Hampden Academy and Old Town High School.

The event was an interactive game of life? designed to help bring awareness and understanding about the importance of teaching teenagers about money management as well as highlighting the leadership role that Maine’s credit unions have taken in promoting youth financial education.

Each participant was presented with a scenario packet of his or her life at age 22, including occupation, income and credit history. From there, students had to map out their financial future, from financing their housing to purchasing food and clothing.

“The time for kids to learn about financial responsibility is now before they graduate from high school,” explained Jon Paradise, the governmental and public affairs manager for the Maine Credit Union League and master of ceremonies for the day.

Paradise said, “In their junior and senior year, students are in the beginning stages of planning for their future, whether they plan to attend college – full time, part time or at all – and where they will live and how they will commute. Our goal was to have an event that would offer students a glimpse into some of the issues, concerns and sacrifices that they will have to deal with in the real world. Topics such as a spending plan, budgeting, credit and savings were covered through this event. We spent a significant amount of time assisting students with questions and concerns that will, hopefully, help them become savvy adult consumers.”

Representatives from the Bangor Chapter of Credit Unions, the Maine Credit Union League, the Maine Council on Economic Education and Eastern Maine Community College organized the event.

Students were positive about participating in this event. One commented, “When I graduate, I will need to watch my spending habits and have a definite plan to make sure I pay my bills on time.”

Another added, “I know now that I have had it really easy and that my parents have a lot to think about trying to run a household. Life is expensive.”

The event, modeled after a similar fair that Maine’s credit unions began in the Lewiston area last year and repeated in April, comes on the heels of April being designated as Financial Literacy for Youth Month, a proclamation from Governor Baldacci that praised the efforts of Maine’s credit unions on behalf of youth financial education.

The Bangor Chapter of CUs comprises: Bangor FCU in Bangor; Bangor Hydro FCU in Bangor; Brewer FCU in Brewer; EMMC FCU in Bangor; Maine Savings FCU in Hampden; Penobscot County FCU in Old Town; Seaboard FCU in Bucksport; St. Croix FCU in Baileyville and University CU in Orono.