1 00:00:07,880 --> 00:00:11,360 Speaker 1: From WBZ News Radio in Boston. This is New England 2 00:00:11,360 --> 00:00:14,240 Speaker 1: Weekend where each week right here we come together we 3 00:00:14,320 --> 00:00:16,560 Speaker 1: talk about all the topics important to you and the 4 00:00:16,560 --> 00:00:19,360 Speaker 1: place where you live. Thanks for joining us again this week. 5 00:00:19,440 --> 00:00:22,160 Speaker 1: I'm Nicole Davis. For many students learning out of a 6 00:00:22,200 --> 00:00:24,560 Speaker 1: book or listening to a lecture, it's not the easiest 7 00:00:24,560 --> 00:00:27,320 Speaker 1: way for them to pick up a subject. Instead, they 8 00:00:27,360 --> 00:00:30,720 Speaker 1: prefer to actually get busy and do it. That hands 9 00:00:30,720 --> 00:00:33,440 Speaker 1: on experience as always front and center for students at 10 00:00:33,440 --> 00:00:36,640 Speaker 1: Worcester Technical High School, especially for those interested in the 11 00:00:36,680 --> 00:00:37,640 Speaker 1: world of finance. 12 00:00:37,960 --> 00:00:38,120 Speaker 2: Now. 13 00:00:38,159 --> 00:00:41,199 Speaker 1: Recently, a local credit union called all One opened up 14 00:00:41,240 --> 00:00:44,159 Speaker 1: a branch inside the school, and you might think it's 15 00:00:44,280 --> 00:00:46,680 Speaker 1: just for kids and school staff, but that's not the case. 16 00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:49,319 Speaker 1: The public actually are able to come into the high 17 00:00:49,360 --> 00:00:52,120 Speaker 1: school throughout the day do their banking just like they 18 00:00:52,200 --> 00:00:54,960 Speaker 1: would at any other branch. So let's talk about it. 19 00:00:55,000 --> 00:00:57,280 Speaker 1: Here on the show, we have Lauren Hayes. She is 20 00:00:57,280 --> 00:01:00,400 Speaker 1: the head of the Finance, Marketing and Business Management Apartment 21 00:01:00,440 --> 00:01:03,560 Speaker 1: at Worcester Tech. Doctor Patricia Sumila is the Director of 22 00:01:03,600 --> 00:01:07,040 Speaker 1: Career and Technical Education at the school. Brittany Haley is 23 00:01:07,080 --> 00:01:11,360 Speaker 1: all Ones Assistant VP of financial education and Tashwani Prazad 24 00:01:11,520 --> 00:01:13,600 Speaker 1: is a student in the program. It is great to 25 00:01:13,640 --> 00:01:16,200 Speaker 1: have all of you on the show. Lauren, I would 26 00:01:16,319 --> 00:01:18,680 Speaker 1: like to start with you first. Let's get a run 27 00:01:18,720 --> 00:01:22,400 Speaker 1: down of that finance program, what you offer the kids 28 00:01:22,440 --> 00:01:23,200 Speaker 1: and how you do it. 29 00:01:23,440 --> 00:01:26,800 Speaker 3: So for the finance and Marketing program, our students get 30 00:01:27,840 --> 00:01:31,160 Speaker 3: many different pathways. In the business industry. We focus on 31 00:01:31,200 --> 00:01:35,960 Speaker 3: the financial industry with investments and accounting as well as 32 00:01:36,000 --> 00:01:39,080 Speaker 3: financial literacy, and then in marketing they get the whole 33 00:01:39,080 --> 00:01:41,880 Speaker 3: scope of marketing. So we do all we do the website, 34 00:01:41,920 --> 00:01:44,600 Speaker 3: all the social media and the outreach and communication for 35 00:01:44,680 --> 00:01:45,520 Speaker 3: our school. 36 00:01:45,360 --> 00:01:48,560 Speaker 1: And doctor Sumila, How does that sort of education then 37 00:01:48,600 --> 00:01:50,559 Speaker 1: translate hopefully for kids in real life. 38 00:01:50,680 --> 00:01:55,520 Speaker 4: Definitely. The fact that they're starting here in practicing those skills, 39 00:01:55,960 --> 00:01:58,920 Speaker 4: getting feedback in real time from both the public that 40 00:01:58,960 --> 00:02:03,000 Speaker 4: they're interacting with and their instructors gives them that step 41 00:02:03,080 --> 00:02:05,880 Speaker 4: up and readiness for the workforce in general. 42 00:02:06,040 --> 00:02:08,480 Speaker 1: So how did the program with all one come together? 43 00:02:08,639 --> 00:02:12,200 Speaker 4: Yeah, excellent question. So we rely heavily at this school 44 00:02:12,880 --> 00:02:17,399 Speaker 4: as a school that works on actual our industry partners 45 00:02:17,520 --> 00:02:21,120 Speaker 4: and live work within the school. We have this credit union. 46 00:02:21,160 --> 00:02:24,440 Speaker 4: We also have a live working veterinary clinic. We have 47 00:02:24,520 --> 00:02:27,480 Speaker 4: a live working autoshop, we have a restaurant. So all 48 00:02:27,560 --> 00:02:30,440 Speaker 4: of those give our students the real life experience in 49 00:02:30,520 --> 00:02:33,640 Speaker 4: real time in the classroom, real hands on and so 50 00:02:33,720 --> 00:02:36,400 Speaker 4: we look for partnerships like the partnership we have with 51 00:02:36,520 --> 00:02:41,760 Speaker 4: all One. We had a credit union in place prior 52 00:02:41,800 --> 00:02:44,840 Speaker 4: to COVID. COVID shut everything down, as everybody knows, and 53 00:02:45,000 --> 00:02:48,240 Speaker 4: in that rebirth and rebuild from COVID, which has happened, 54 00:02:48,720 --> 00:02:53,840 Speaker 4: this partnership came up and we were extremely appreciative of 55 00:02:53,880 --> 00:02:59,160 Speaker 4: their commitment to education, financial literacy too, high school students 56 00:02:59,160 --> 00:03:01,440 Speaker 4: in their families, and that was really important to us. 57 00:03:01,720 --> 00:03:03,400 Speaker 1: We'll talk about a little bit more of the all 58 00:03:03,440 --> 00:03:05,680 Speaker 1: One side in a moment, but I really want to know, Lauren, 59 00:03:05,760 --> 00:03:08,720 Speaker 1: what is it like preparing the kids to take a 60 00:03:08,840 --> 00:03:11,399 Speaker 1: job like this on top of you know, normal high 61 00:03:11,400 --> 00:03:13,440 Speaker 1: school stuff is a lot as it is, Like I 62 00:03:13,520 --> 00:03:15,320 Speaker 1: used to teach high school students, so I'm very well 63 00:03:15,320 --> 00:03:17,560 Speaker 1: aware of like all the extracurriculars they have to do, 64 00:03:17,600 --> 00:03:19,560 Speaker 1: and like getting into college these days is like so 65 00:03:19,639 --> 00:03:22,720 Speaker 1: insane everything that kids have to go through. What is 66 00:03:22,760 --> 00:03:25,760 Speaker 1: the program over at Worcester Tech doing to make sure 67 00:03:25,840 --> 00:03:28,040 Speaker 1: kids are ready to go into this credit union and 68 00:03:28,160 --> 00:03:29,120 Speaker 1: pretty much work. 69 00:03:30,080 --> 00:03:32,880 Speaker 3: So we have a large focus in our whole school 70 00:03:33,280 --> 00:03:36,480 Speaker 3: on professionalism. So what's going to set the students apart 71 00:03:36,600 --> 00:03:41,560 Speaker 3: from every other teenager that they're going to be interviewing against. 72 00:03:41,640 --> 00:03:42,200 Speaker 1: I guess is. 73 00:03:43,800 --> 00:03:47,160 Speaker 3: And so we practice heavily on the soft skills and 74 00:03:47,200 --> 00:03:51,800 Speaker 3: preparing them to interview, to work with customers, their accountability, 75 00:03:51,920 --> 00:03:55,880 Speaker 3: their initiative work ethic, So we focus on that and 76 00:03:55,920 --> 00:04:02,360 Speaker 3: we actually rate them and on their employability skills heavily, 77 00:04:02,400 --> 00:04:04,720 Speaker 3: which we'll set them apart and be ready to work 78 00:04:04,720 --> 00:04:06,400 Speaker 3: in the industry. 79 00:04:06,680 --> 00:04:09,600 Speaker 1: Tashwand you tell me how you went through that process yourself. 80 00:04:09,640 --> 00:04:11,160 Speaker 1: I want to hear from you how it all went. 81 00:04:11,880 --> 00:04:15,280 Speaker 5: So, being a student at TECH, I feel like the 82 00:04:15,320 --> 00:04:17,880 Speaker 5: way we balance school makes it really easy for us. 83 00:04:18,440 --> 00:04:21,160 Speaker 5: The soft skills that we learned, the professionalism that we 84 00:04:21,240 --> 00:04:24,279 Speaker 5: learned through our teachers have been very helpful. But for 85 00:04:24,400 --> 00:04:26,880 Speaker 5: us to have this privilege of working at a bank 86 00:04:26,920 --> 00:04:30,400 Speaker 5: and working with people outside, were able to apply and 87 00:04:30,440 --> 00:04:34,919 Speaker 5: actually learn through personal experiences. It's not oh, an example 88 00:04:35,160 --> 00:04:37,760 Speaker 5: and you relate to an example, it's your own personal 89 00:04:37,800 --> 00:04:40,000 Speaker 5: experience where you know where to go from. 90 00:04:39,800 --> 00:04:42,640 Speaker 1: There, Yeah, Brittany, and then working with the kids. Let's 91 00:04:42,640 --> 00:04:45,160 Speaker 1: talk about the all one credit union side of things. 92 00:04:45,640 --> 00:04:47,680 Speaker 1: How did you all come to the conclusion that this 93 00:04:47,800 --> 00:04:50,720 Speaker 1: was a good idea for your credit union and your 94 00:04:50,720 --> 00:04:51,560 Speaker 1: company in general. 95 00:04:51,920 --> 00:04:54,880 Speaker 2: One of the things that was really appealing to us 96 00:04:55,240 --> 00:05:00,800 Speaker 2: was the vocational aspect and the program as a whole. 97 00:05:01,200 --> 00:05:05,040 Speaker 2: We have had some experience with some other vocational programs 98 00:05:05,520 --> 00:05:08,760 Speaker 2: and partnerships, but to be able to be embedded in 99 00:05:09,279 --> 00:05:13,360 Speaker 2: the finance, business and marketing class itself, and we know 100 00:05:13,520 --> 00:05:17,080 Speaker 2: that these students really are their top tier and they 101 00:05:17,120 --> 00:05:22,799 Speaker 2: really are taught and have the experience that is really 102 00:05:22,839 --> 00:05:28,000 Speaker 2: beneficial to the credit Union for potential career rear paths 103 00:05:28,000 --> 00:05:30,880 Speaker 2: that may be alternative for some students that may not 104 00:05:31,000 --> 00:05:35,080 Speaker 2: be attending college right away. And so it's a really 105 00:05:35,120 --> 00:05:38,760 Speaker 2: great opportunity for us to really embed ourselves in that 106 00:05:38,880 --> 00:05:42,600 Speaker 2: job market and also with the educational side of it, 107 00:05:42,800 --> 00:05:46,040 Speaker 2: be able to educate them on financial education, which is 108 00:05:46,120 --> 00:05:49,320 Speaker 2: so important right now in general. 109 00:05:49,600 --> 00:05:51,279 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean for all of us. I mean, the 110 00:05:51,320 --> 00:05:53,960 Speaker 1: economy is up and down doing its roller coaster thing 111 00:05:54,960 --> 00:05:58,080 Speaker 1: young people as it is, I think financial education is 112 00:05:58,120 --> 00:06:00,599 Speaker 1: critical for young people because I know I'm of a 113 00:06:00,640 --> 00:06:02,680 Speaker 1: certain age and I didn't get nearly enough of it 114 00:06:02,720 --> 00:06:06,679 Speaker 1: when like real life financial education and you know, Lauren, 115 00:06:06,760 --> 00:06:08,839 Speaker 1: tell me a little bit about then how you're working 116 00:06:08,880 --> 00:06:11,239 Speaker 1: with your side of things and meshing it into the 117 00:06:11,320 --> 00:06:13,440 Speaker 1: curriculum with all one. Tell me a bit about how 118 00:06:13,480 --> 00:06:14,920 Speaker 1: that combines as it were. 119 00:06:15,120 --> 00:06:19,000 Speaker 3: Okay, so actually we have with the Credit Union. Here 120 00:06:19,400 --> 00:06:22,280 Speaker 3: are sophomores right now. The credit Union is actually coming 121 00:06:22,360 --> 00:06:25,560 Speaker 3: up and co teaching us during our students academic week, 122 00:06:25,640 --> 00:06:28,400 Speaker 3: so they're taking a full course in banking one and 123 00:06:28,520 --> 00:06:31,359 Speaker 3: personal finance. Like today we learned all about the W 124 00:06:31,480 --> 00:06:36,479 Speaker 3: four form in taxes. So they're working in our classroom 125 00:06:36,520 --> 00:06:38,960 Speaker 3: with our students and preparing them. And then when they 126 00:06:38,960 --> 00:06:41,440 Speaker 3: become juniors, they go down and they're working in the 127 00:06:41,480 --> 00:06:43,760 Speaker 3: bank with the branch supervisor. 128 00:06:44,120 --> 00:06:46,680 Speaker 1: Tajwani. By the way, are you a junior or sophomore senior? 129 00:06:46,680 --> 00:06:48,360 Speaker 2: What you're you. 130 00:06:49,520 --> 00:06:52,120 Speaker 1: So you're like in the bank at this point, tell 131 00:06:52,160 --> 00:06:53,720 Speaker 1: me what it's like like. I want to know kind 132 00:06:53,720 --> 00:06:55,400 Speaker 1: of like a day in Tajwani's life at the bank. 133 00:06:55,440 --> 00:06:56,120 Speaker 1: What does it look like. 134 00:06:57,040 --> 00:07:00,120 Speaker 5: It's a very professional setting. It's a lot different in 135 00:07:00,120 --> 00:07:04,000 Speaker 5: a way from shop. But our teacher makes it so 136 00:07:04,080 --> 00:07:06,440 Speaker 5: easy for us to learn, for us to catch on, 137 00:07:07,160 --> 00:07:10,760 Speaker 5: and overall, because we're in such a professional setting, we 138 00:07:10,800 --> 00:07:14,040 Speaker 5: take on responsibilities that we wouldn't normally take on. And 139 00:07:14,600 --> 00:07:15,560 Speaker 5: that's a privilege for us. 140 00:07:15,680 --> 00:07:17,960 Speaker 1: What is it like for you to have people come 141 00:07:18,040 --> 00:07:19,800 Speaker 1: up and you know you're serving them and you're helping 142 00:07:19,800 --> 00:07:21,560 Speaker 1: them with their money? I mean, what is that like 143 00:07:21,600 --> 00:07:22,640 Speaker 1: for you as a young person? 144 00:07:23,040 --> 00:07:25,720 Speaker 5: As a young person, it really makes me think how 145 00:07:25,800 --> 00:07:28,960 Speaker 5: I can apply this to future industry jobs I could 146 00:07:28,960 --> 00:07:33,120 Speaker 5: work in, how this exposure is really good for not 147 00:07:33,160 --> 00:07:35,800 Speaker 5: only me but for my peers around me. How to 148 00:07:35,840 --> 00:07:38,320 Speaker 5: put on my best face and make sure everyone is 149 00:07:38,360 --> 00:07:41,760 Speaker 5: attended to And yeah, do. 150 00:07:41,760 --> 00:07:43,720 Speaker 1: People come in and they're like, oh my gosh, you're 151 00:07:43,760 --> 00:07:46,040 Speaker 1: like fifteen, sixteen years old, why are you serving me? 152 00:07:46,800 --> 00:07:46,920 Speaker 4: Like? 153 00:07:47,040 --> 00:07:47,800 Speaker 1: What's it like. 154 00:07:48,280 --> 00:07:50,840 Speaker 5: All the time? But that's when you have to really 155 00:07:50,880 --> 00:07:53,280 Speaker 5: prove yourself that you are capable of putting on a 156 00:07:53,280 --> 00:07:54,160 Speaker 5: position like that. 157 00:07:54,480 --> 00:07:56,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, in the public. 158 00:07:56,520 --> 00:07:58,480 Speaker 1: Yeah, and britainy, you know, when it comes to customers. 159 00:07:58,480 --> 00:08:00,400 Speaker 1: I mean, obviously I'm sure that people in the Unity 160 00:08:00,560 --> 00:08:03,520 Speaker 1: realize that this is a thing that's happening. But tell 161 00:08:03,520 --> 00:08:05,600 Speaker 1: me what it's like what you're hearing from customers about 162 00:08:05,600 --> 00:08:07,160 Speaker 1: the collaboration with Worcester Tech. 163 00:08:07,560 --> 00:08:12,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's definitely been a lot of excitement, so the 164 00:08:12,200 --> 00:08:15,360 Speaker 2: members that know that we've opened at Tech, the school 165 00:08:15,400 --> 00:08:18,440 Speaker 2: community as a whole, it's just been a lot of excitement, 166 00:08:18,520 --> 00:08:21,280 Speaker 2: a lot of great feedback. We try our best to 167 00:08:21,360 --> 00:08:24,760 Speaker 2: really put the members at ease, so you know, we're 168 00:08:24,760 --> 00:08:27,680 Speaker 2: trying to limit only have a couple of students interacting 169 00:08:27,720 --> 00:08:31,400 Speaker 2: with the member at a time, versus having the whole 170 00:08:31,400 --> 00:08:35,800 Speaker 2: class interacting with them. And I think it really helps too, 171 00:08:35,880 --> 00:08:38,960 Speaker 2: again being embedded in the school space, so they know 172 00:08:39,000 --> 00:08:42,280 Speaker 2: what they're expecting walking into the school. They know that, hey, 173 00:08:42,360 --> 00:08:45,200 Speaker 2: there are services open to the public here, so I 174 00:08:45,240 --> 00:08:47,800 Speaker 2: think they go in with that expectation that they may 175 00:08:48,120 --> 00:08:51,439 Speaker 2: be interacting with students, and I think honestly they leave 176 00:08:51,480 --> 00:08:55,520 Speaker 2: there really impressed and blown away by the students and 177 00:08:55,559 --> 00:09:00,120 Speaker 2: their professionalism. So all around, it's been buzzing with exc 178 00:09:00,600 --> 00:09:03,439 Speaker 2: I mean, we've just had so much excitement in the 179 00:09:03,480 --> 00:09:06,280 Speaker 2: Wister area and from the school community as a whole, 180 00:09:06,520 --> 00:09:07,559 Speaker 2: So it's been really great. 181 00:09:07,800 --> 00:09:09,680 Speaker 1: Yeah, and doctor Simla, I mean, this is a huge 182 00:09:09,720 --> 00:09:13,680 Speaker 1: deal for Worcester Tech you're certainly not new to interactive experiences, 183 00:09:14,240 --> 00:09:17,360 Speaker 1: but how do you personally feel this has been rolling 184 00:09:17,400 --> 00:09:19,720 Speaker 1: out and do you want to expand do more of this? 185 00:09:20,000 --> 00:09:20,880 Speaker 1: What are your thoughts on that. 186 00:09:21,200 --> 00:09:24,840 Speaker 4: For sure, we're always looking in ways to increase industry 187 00:09:24,880 --> 00:09:31,520 Speaker 4: partnerships because it results in more service to the community 188 00:09:31,760 --> 00:09:35,320 Speaker 4: and of course more service for our students and our teachers, 189 00:09:36,080 --> 00:09:39,080 Speaker 4: So any kind of expansion would be something we would 190 00:09:39,080 --> 00:09:42,720 Speaker 4: welcome and talk about. The rollout of this was super positive, 191 00:09:43,360 --> 00:09:47,599 Speaker 4: super collaborative. There's so many details from our paint and 192 00:09:47,679 --> 00:09:51,559 Speaker 4: design students painted the bank to prep it, the redesign 193 00:09:51,760 --> 00:09:53,920 Speaker 4: it had been you know, it had been empty for 194 00:09:53,960 --> 00:09:56,240 Speaker 4: a couple of years. We had to look at it 195 00:09:56,640 --> 00:10:00,280 Speaker 4: rebranding within the school so that the public come in 196 00:10:00,400 --> 00:10:04,800 Speaker 4: could see where the credit Union is getting an ATM 197 00:10:04,800 --> 00:10:06,840 Speaker 4: back in the school. So, like all there's lots of 198 00:10:06,880 --> 00:10:10,080 Speaker 4: little details in Brittany and her team were amazing to 199 00:10:10,160 --> 00:10:14,720 Speaker 4: work with, and because over a school year, there's lots 200 00:10:14,720 --> 00:10:17,679 Speaker 4: of times when there's non pupil days and you know, 201 00:10:17,760 --> 00:10:19,400 Speaker 4: we still have to forge ahead with many of the 202 00:10:19,440 --> 00:10:22,120 Speaker 4: things that needed to happen in order to be open 203 00:10:22,200 --> 00:10:26,600 Speaker 4: in time, so that part of the process was amazing 204 00:10:26,720 --> 00:10:31,240 Speaker 4: and wonderful. And you know, we we both sides always 205 00:10:31,280 --> 00:10:33,640 Speaker 4: do their due diligence. We have MOUs with all of 206 00:10:33,640 --> 00:10:35,679 Speaker 4: our partners. It's not just like, oh, we're going to 207 00:10:35,760 --> 00:10:37,360 Speaker 4: open a credit union, We're going to open a vent 208 00:10:37,360 --> 00:10:40,840 Speaker 4: Mary clinic and hope for the best. Everyone on both 209 00:10:40,880 --> 00:10:43,400 Speaker 4: sides of the table, from the City of wester public 210 00:10:43,440 --> 00:10:48,480 Speaker 4: schools to the local school itself and our industry partner, 211 00:10:48,640 --> 00:10:50,920 Speaker 4: do our due diligence to see the win win in 212 00:10:50,960 --> 00:10:54,040 Speaker 4: this for our students and the community. Our instructors in 213 00:10:54,080 --> 00:10:58,600 Speaker 4: our shops are all subject matter experts within their the 214 00:10:58,640 --> 00:11:01,880 Speaker 4: subject that they're teaching, and that's an important piece that 215 00:11:02,000 --> 00:11:04,920 Speaker 4: helps our students also prep for working in this live 216 00:11:04,960 --> 00:11:07,240 Speaker 4: where many of our teachers have either worked in a 217 00:11:07,280 --> 00:11:10,280 Speaker 4: credit union or have worked in whatever field they're in, 218 00:11:10,520 --> 00:11:14,520 Speaker 4: have been there and done it, and helps in modeling 219 00:11:14,559 --> 00:11:15,600 Speaker 4: for our students as well. 220 00:11:15,720 --> 00:11:18,160 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's really the best experience if you ask me, 221 00:11:18,240 --> 00:11:21,319 Speaker 1: somebody who's actually been there, done that knows the good days, 222 00:11:21,360 --> 00:11:23,400 Speaker 1: knows the bad days too, because let's be real, there's 223 00:11:23,400 --> 00:11:26,000 Speaker 1: bad days in everything you do. Unfortunately, it's just the 224 00:11:26,040 --> 00:11:28,320 Speaker 1: way of the world. And you know, Brittany when it 225 00:11:28,320 --> 00:11:30,319 Speaker 1: comes to all one, do you think you're going to 226 00:11:30,360 --> 00:11:32,800 Speaker 1: move forward with more local partnerships like this, Like what 227 00:11:32,880 --> 00:11:35,160 Speaker 1: has this experience been like for you all over there? 228 00:11:35,400 --> 00:11:38,800 Speaker 2: That's a great question. So I think, as Patricia had 229 00:11:38,920 --> 00:11:41,640 Speaker 2: spoken on earlier, through COVID, there was a lot of 230 00:11:41,679 --> 00:11:45,240 Speaker 2: shifts and changes in what we do and the high 231 00:11:45,280 --> 00:11:50,199 Speaker 2: school branch space as a whole in Massachusetts, we saw 232 00:11:50,280 --> 00:11:54,080 Speaker 2: a lot closed down, We saw a lot kind of 233 00:11:54,200 --> 00:11:59,320 Speaker 2: re allocate their their needs as far as you know, 234 00:11:59,440 --> 00:12:02,760 Speaker 2: school space are concerned. And something that I'm really proud 235 00:12:02,840 --> 00:12:05,400 Speaker 2: to say is that we really leaned into it. So 236 00:12:05,480 --> 00:12:09,160 Speaker 2: we went from having before COVID we had two school 237 00:12:09,200 --> 00:12:12,640 Speaker 2: branches and now we have four. So it's something we 238 00:12:12,760 --> 00:12:16,079 Speaker 2: leaned into it, we doubled it. We saw the need 239 00:12:16,200 --> 00:12:19,199 Speaker 2: for it and the importance of it. So I would 240 00:12:19,240 --> 00:12:21,560 Speaker 2: like to say that, you know, for the future, I 241 00:12:21,559 --> 00:12:23,400 Speaker 2: don't know what it holds, but it is a core 242 00:12:23,440 --> 00:12:27,480 Speaker 2: focus of ours is financial education and the high school 243 00:12:27,480 --> 00:12:31,080 Speaker 2: branch space program as a whole. And you know, from 244 00:12:31,120 --> 00:12:36,040 Speaker 2: there we our program in general. We got national recognition, 245 00:12:36,280 --> 00:12:39,800 Speaker 2: So I think because of that, you know, it really 246 00:12:39,880 --> 00:12:43,079 Speaker 2: kind of catapulted us in our area as a leader 247 00:12:43,120 --> 00:12:47,360 Speaker 2: in the high school branch space, and you know, I think, yeah, 248 00:12:47,440 --> 00:12:51,520 Speaker 2: I think that there's definitely potential for future partnerships, but 249 00:12:51,760 --> 00:12:56,360 Speaker 2: it's kind of looking at where our efforts are best placed. 250 00:12:56,520 --> 00:12:59,520 Speaker 2: And so, you know, with Worcester Tech, it really was 251 00:12:59,640 --> 00:13:03,400 Speaker 2: a no brainer because the vocational school is so incredible 252 00:13:03,800 --> 00:13:06,160 Speaker 2: and so for us it has just been an awesome 253 00:13:06,720 --> 00:13:10,480 Speaker 2: embracing opportunity and community. So it really was a no brainer. 254 00:13:10,559 --> 00:13:13,760 Speaker 2: So hey, if another excellent school like Worcester Tech were 255 00:13:13,840 --> 00:13:17,760 Speaker 2: to propose, I can't say I make those kinds of decisions, 256 00:13:17,840 --> 00:13:20,760 Speaker 2: but I would absolutely be in favor of it. 257 00:13:21,040 --> 00:13:23,720 Speaker 1: Absolutely. And you know, Tejwani, tell me what it's like 258 00:13:23,760 --> 00:13:25,840 Speaker 1: when you're talking to your friends about all this and 259 00:13:26,160 --> 00:13:29,400 Speaker 1: other kids in the class. Is this something that has 260 00:13:29,480 --> 00:13:31,640 Speaker 1: maybe inspired you guys to go work in the banking 261 00:13:31,679 --> 00:13:34,880 Speaker 1: industry or at least some sort of financial industry, Like, 262 00:13:34,920 --> 00:13:36,200 Speaker 1: what are people saying about this? 263 00:13:36,679 --> 00:13:41,280 Speaker 5: It has actually, so I would say before we really 264 00:13:41,280 --> 00:13:43,920 Speaker 5: indulged into the bank, we weren't too short on a 265 00:13:44,000 --> 00:13:47,680 Speaker 5: career path. I mean, I know the conversation I have 266 00:13:47,840 --> 00:13:50,240 Speaker 5: had with my friends, we go really deep into you know, 267 00:13:50,320 --> 00:13:52,480 Speaker 5: what we want to do in the future and I 268 00:13:52,520 --> 00:13:55,640 Speaker 5: feel that, you know, a lot of people now being 269 00:13:55,679 --> 00:13:59,240 Speaker 5: exposed to the bank really kind of narrowed their path 270 00:13:59,400 --> 00:14:02,000 Speaker 5: to what they want to do. And let's say, if 271 00:14:02,040 --> 00:14:06,120 Speaker 5: they didn't exactly want to take up banking or being 272 00:14:06,120 --> 00:14:09,599 Speaker 5: an accountant, it does help with what they want to 273 00:14:09,640 --> 00:14:12,760 Speaker 5: do financially in the future. And one thing that I 274 00:14:12,920 --> 00:14:16,559 Speaker 5: personally learned that I may not want to be doing 275 00:14:16,640 --> 00:14:19,760 Speaker 5: banking in my future, but one thing that I have 276 00:14:19,920 --> 00:14:23,000 Speaker 5: learned in the bank is how to budget and take 277 00:14:23,040 --> 00:14:26,480 Speaker 5: care of my personal finances. So, whether it's the path 278 00:14:26,520 --> 00:14:30,400 Speaker 5: that you want to go or not, you learn incredible things. 279 00:14:30,680 --> 00:14:32,880 Speaker 5: And that not a lot of high school students are 280 00:14:32,920 --> 00:14:34,560 Speaker 5: able to acquire that type of education. 281 00:14:34,880 --> 00:14:37,000 Speaker 1: No, it's true. It's very special. And Lauren, you know 282 00:14:37,000 --> 00:14:40,800 Speaker 1: you've got these great students who are just making huge strides. 283 00:14:41,120 --> 00:14:43,520 Speaker 1: What's that like for you? As somebody who works with 284 00:14:43,560 --> 00:14:46,320 Speaker 1: them every day and is somebody who's in education. 285 00:14:46,680 --> 00:14:49,440 Speaker 3: It's super rewarding. You know, we teachers get asked all 286 00:14:49,480 --> 00:14:52,120 Speaker 3: the time like how do you do it? I enjoy 287 00:14:52,200 --> 00:14:55,040 Speaker 3: coming here? Can I get emotional on it? I enjoy 288 00:14:55,240 --> 00:14:58,040 Speaker 3: coming here, I enjoy working with them, and I enjoy 289 00:14:58,120 --> 00:15:01,440 Speaker 3: seeing their success over the years and them. I mean today, 290 00:15:01,440 --> 00:15:04,240 Speaker 3: I'm sitting here super proud of Teja's responses to all 291 00:15:04,240 --> 00:15:08,360 Speaker 3: these questions because that tells me that she gets it 292 00:15:08,440 --> 00:15:10,920 Speaker 3: right and that she sees what this is doing for her. 293 00:15:11,000 --> 00:15:13,320 Speaker 3: And we see that throughout our whole program and throughout 294 00:15:13,320 --> 00:15:17,760 Speaker 3: our whole school. I personally was a graduate of westervocan 295 00:15:17,840 --> 00:15:20,800 Speaker 3: of this program, and we see that a lot here. 296 00:15:21,480 --> 00:15:24,920 Speaker 3: And my co op opportunity was in a Credit Union, 297 00:15:25,080 --> 00:15:29,920 Speaker 3: So I know personally what vocational education can do for 298 00:15:29,960 --> 00:15:33,760 Speaker 3: a student, and we see that success while they're here, 299 00:15:33,800 --> 00:15:37,080 Speaker 3: and we continue those relationships while they're alumni as well 300 00:15:37,360 --> 00:15:40,160 Speaker 3: and see what our students go into in the future. 301 00:15:40,240 --> 00:15:44,760 Speaker 3: So and in addition to the whole financial education that 302 00:15:44,800 --> 00:15:47,560 Speaker 3: they're receiving all on, credit Union has opened up so 303 00:15:47,600 --> 00:15:51,520 Speaker 3: many other opportunities as well. Our students have already created 304 00:15:51,560 --> 00:15:56,000 Speaker 3: marketing material for the Credit Union, helping with promotions. We 305 00:15:56,120 --> 00:15:58,160 Speaker 3: do a big Credit for Life fair at the end 306 00:15:58,160 --> 00:16:01,320 Speaker 3: of the year where they are one of our they 307 00:16:01,360 --> 00:16:04,720 Speaker 3: are our partner with it. So there's been so many 308 00:16:04,760 --> 00:16:07,840 Speaker 3: more opportunities in addition to just the financial education. 309 00:16:08,000 --> 00:16:09,080 Speaker 4: Bob is a social star. 310 00:16:10,160 --> 00:16:13,120 Speaker 1: Yes, I believe it. I believe it I've heard great things. 311 00:16:13,240 --> 00:16:16,600 Speaker 1: So where is the location, what are the hours? How 312 00:16:16,640 --> 00:16:19,360 Speaker 1: can people sign up to work with the kids over there? 313 00:16:19,520 --> 00:16:22,880 Speaker 4: Excellent? So it is open to the public. It is 314 00:16:22,960 --> 00:16:26,760 Speaker 4: within the school, so we're at one Officer Manny Familiar 315 00:16:26,840 --> 00:16:30,920 Speaker 4: Way in Whisper. It's the entrance into green Hill Park. 316 00:16:31,000 --> 00:16:34,040 Speaker 4: That's kind of how the community references where we're at. 317 00:16:34,240 --> 00:16:38,160 Speaker 4: And when you walk into the main doors of the school. 318 00:16:38,560 --> 00:16:41,200 Speaker 4: We have what's called Main Street and the credit Union 319 00:16:41,320 --> 00:16:44,360 Speaker 4: is sitting right there on Main Street before the cafe 320 00:16:44,400 --> 00:16:47,160 Speaker 4: in the restaurant, so as people move on down to 321 00:16:47,160 --> 00:16:49,120 Speaker 4: the cafe or the restaurant, they can stop and do 322 00:16:49,240 --> 00:16:52,280 Speaker 4: their personal banking. We also do a lot of internal 323 00:16:52,360 --> 00:16:55,160 Speaker 4: banking for our shops because all of our shops are, 324 00:16:55,360 --> 00:16:58,360 Speaker 4: like I said, live shops taking in revenue in sales 325 00:16:58,560 --> 00:17:00,720 Speaker 4: and so they'll be taking that revenue in that sales 326 00:17:00,800 --> 00:17:04,160 Speaker 4: and bring in The bank is helping us with that 327 00:17:04,280 --> 00:17:10,359 Speaker 4: piece within the City of Worcester's procurement kind of processing. 328 00:17:11,160 --> 00:17:13,960 Speaker 4: So that's kind of where we're at. Bob is there 329 00:17:14,040 --> 00:17:16,160 Speaker 4: bright and early as we are. I believe the hours 330 00:17:16,160 --> 00:17:18,880 Speaker 4: of seven thirty to two pm that the public can 331 00:17:18,920 --> 00:17:23,360 Speaker 4: come in and do their banking and students can their 332 00:17:23,560 --> 00:17:26,800 Speaker 4: signs up helping students if they need any financial help 333 00:17:26,840 --> 00:17:30,360 Speaker 4: with any maybe their first car or a family car 334 00:17:30,480 --> 00:17:32,679 Speaker 4: or what anything they need any help with any of 335 00:17:32,720 --> 00:17:37,359 Speaker 4: that notary public. I used the credit union not that 336 00:17:37,440 --> 00:17:40,639 Speaker 4: long ago to get something notarized, and so there's lots 337 00:17:40,640 --> 00:17:44,120 Speaker 4: of interactions that can happen with the public and internal. 338 00:17:44,160 --> 00:17:46,439 Speaker 4: We have over two hundred and fifty people in this 339 00:17:46,480 --> 00:17:50,840 Speaker 4: building on a daily basis staff and that's staff and 340 00:17:51,400 --> 00:17:56,320 Speaker 4: support staff. So when is welcome to utilize them their 341 00:17:56,480 --> 00:17:59,200 Speaker 4: credit union membership there and we appreciate that. 342 00:17:59,320 --> 00:18:02,119 Speaker 1: Cool. Yeah, go to do your banking, get a sandwich, 343 00:18:02,280 --> 00:18:05,919 Speaker 1: just hang out over at Main Street and Worcester Tech, Brittany. 344 00:18:05,920 --> 00:18:07,720 Speaker 1: If somebody wants to join up with all one, where 345 00:18:07,720 --> 00:18:09,280 Speaker 1: can they find more information about that? 346 00:18:09,560 --> 00:18:12,160 Speaker 2: Yeah? Absolutely so you can always come in and see 347 00:18:12,160 --> 00:18:14,600 Speaker 2: Bob and go from there, open an account live in 348 00:18:14,640 --> 00:18:18,760 Speaker 2: the branch, or you can check out all dash ONCU 349 00:18:18,840 --> 00:18:22,159 Speaker 2: dot com that has all of our information there, and 350 00:18:22,200 --> 00:18:24,119 Speaker 2: then if it's something that you want to partner with 351 00:18:24,200 --> 00:18:27,680 Speaker 2: financial education, you can find information there as well to 352 00:18:27,760 --> 00:18:31,760 Speaker 2: sign up for education sessions too that we offer free 353 00:18:31,800 --> 00:18:32,440 Speaker 2: to the public. 354 00:18:32,840 --> 00:18:34,760 Speaker 1: Okay, well, thank you all for the work you're doing 355 00:18:34,800 --> 00:18:37,680 Speaker 1: to make sure that our next generation has the financial 356 00:18:37,800 --> 00:18:41,000 Speaker 1: education they need to succeed and get by. I know 357 00:18:41,119 --> 00:18:43,160 Speaker 1: times are kind of weird right now, and it's important 358 00:18:43,160 --> 00:18:45,760 Speaker 1: for kids to know as much as they possibly can. 359 00:18:45,840 --> 00:18:48,119 Speaker 1: So thank you for getting so hands on. Thank you 360 00:18:48,160 --> 00:18:50,879 Speaker 1: for your time. I know it's been a really busy 361 00:18:50,920 --> 00:18:53,600 Speaker 1: time for you while rolling this out, but I appreciate 362 00:18:53,600 --> 00:18:55,240 Speaker 1: your time here on the show and all the best 363 00:18:55,280 --> 00:18:58,520 Speaker 1: of luck to you. Thank you have a safe and 364 00:18:58,560 --> 00:19:01,399 Speaker 1: healthy weekend. Please join me again next week for another 365 00:19:01,520 --> 00:19:04,920 Speaker 1: edition of the show. I'm Nicole Davis from WBZ News 366 00:19:05,000 --> 00:19:06,480 Speaker 1: Radio on iHeartRadio.