Credit Unionreceives national award for financial education programs

							                                                                                                                        14170 Pennsylvania Road
                                                                                                                             Southgate, MI 48195
                                                                                                                            Phone: 734-284-9410
                                                                                                                                Fax: 734-284-0966
                                                                                                                        Email: info@edfirstcu.com



     Credit Union receives national award for financial education programs
                             CUNA honor comes on the heel of state award for school programs
                                                                                                                              Release: Immediate
                                                                                                                           Contact: Teri Creighton
                                                                                                                                   President/CEO
                                                                                                                                    734.284.9410

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Officials from Downriver-based Education First Credit Union received the national Desjardins Youth Financial
Education Award at this year’s annual Credit Union National Association (CUNA) Governmental Affairs Conference held in the nation’s capital
the first week of March.
    Accepting the award on behalf of the credit union were Board Chairman
Lloyd Slinglend and President/CEO Teri Creighton.
    In November, the credit union received the state Desjardins Awards from
the Michigan Credit Union League (MCUL) for its efforts in providing area
young people with educational programming aimed at improving their financial
literacy. That award, in turn, automatically entered the credit union into the
national competition, held by CUNA.
    “We were honored by the state award,” Creighton said, “and quite frankly,
overwhelmed by the national award.
    “I think the two awards clearly recognize the commitment we’ve made to
education in the communities, schools and school districts we serve.
    “In addition, the awards recognize the tremendous efforts made by our
school program staff in working with our member districts and schools to
deliver outstanding programs to their classrooms and students,” Creighton said.
    “My congratulations to the wonderful professionals I work with and who
have made a commitment to educational excellence in our schools.”                  Education First Credit Union Board Chairman
    The school program staff at Education First Credit Union is led by School Lloyd Slinglend (left) and President/CEO Teri
Partnership Manager Beverly Dillon. She is joined by School Program Liaison Creighton hold the national Desjardins Youth
Michelle Waara and staff members Lisa Hill, Shan Yancy and Anne Mitroka. Financial Education Award, which was presented by
    These individuals not only provide financial education materials to area the Credit Union National Association at its annual
schools, but also make financial presentations in the classroom, supervise Governmental Affairs Conference held in
student-run credit unions at the elementary level and manage school-based, Washington, D.C., the first week of March.
full-service credit unions at five area high schools. The credit union also awards
college scholarships, features student artwork in its lobbies, helps with the purchase of school equipment and library books, holds an annual
billboard design contest and sponsors various school events, programs and activities.
    The Desjardins award was named in honor of Alphonse Desjardins, a credit union pioneer who was instrumental in forming the Canadian and
U.S. credit union movements. He also pioneered youth savings clubs and in-school “banks,” known as caisses scolaires. The award recognizes activities
that “raise awareness and marshals resources on behalf of youth financial literacy.”

About the credit union
   Education First Credit Union was founded by nine educators in 1951 as Wyandotte School Employees Credit Union; in 1974, it changed its name
to Downriver School Employees Credit Union.
   On Oct. 1, 2007, the credit union changed its name to Education First to “better reflects the nature of our membership, rather than the
boundaries of our service area,” Creighton said.
   Today, the credit union has more than 11,000 members and has assets of more than $70 million.




                                                          BRANCH OFFICE
                                            20401 Gibraltar Road • Brownstown, MI 48183
                                               SCHOOL-BASED BRANCH OFFICES
            Carlson High School • Huron High School • Airport High School • Grosse Ile High School • Woodhaven High School