LISBON STUDENTS FIT FOR FINANCIAL PLANNING

 

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Lisbon students experienced real-life scenarios of financial challenges on Wednesday, March 25 at the Maine Credit Union League Financial Fitness Fair held at the Lewiston Armory.   Students from Philip W. Sugg Middle School, Lisbon High School and the Gartley Street Alternative Education Program had an opportunity to attend the event.   Students meet with financial advisors throughout the session. Pictured front row (l-r);   Katherin George, Amanda Mason, Victoria Swan, Hannah Martel, Natalie Thomsen, Mahrissa Verrill, Alyssa Finlay, Makaila Tilley.  Middle row:  Damara Chesley, Lillian Johnston, Kasey Russell, Alexandra Sult, Logan Leet, Nathan Gamache, Ian Arsenault, Deric Roberts, Montana Hern, Hunter Williams, Olivia Leduc, Kyle Bedell.  Back row:  Brian Breton, Amy Sewick, Josh Smith, Trent Bundy, Riley Leeman, Alexander Graham, and Jessica Porter.  Photo by  Monica Millhime.

 

Lisbon – “Students from Lisbon had another opportunity to participate in  a unique out of the classroom learning experience on sound financial planning and investment strategies, thanks to the partnership in education with the Maine Credit Union League and The MELMAC Education Foundation,” shares Monica Millhime, the District’s Community Resource Coordinator.  Students from Lisbon’s middle school along with mainstream high school students and their peers at the Gartley Street Program (GSP),  attended a session on money management at the Financial Fitness Fair in Lewiston.  The intense two and half hour event sponsored by Maine’s Credit Unions  invited students to engage in real-life scenarios into the future at age 22.   Students were provided with current market values of expenses and income levels at the specific  jobs of interest according to their personal participant profile.  Members of the area Credit Unions provided portfolios equipped with calculators, fact sheets, charts and spreadsheets for students to prepare their own monthly/annual budgets based on their lifestyle choices.  Credit Union coaches  guided students through the budgeting process and planning of the major expenses associated with the basics in life  including housing, food, transportation, education, clothing, investments, insurance, entertainment, home furnishings, cell phones and credit applications.  “Students were actively engaged with the various aspects of the program all morning, working together as teams to make sure they could meet their monthly expenses,” shared Millhime.  Students attending the program were accompanied by Millhime along with Brian Breton, Gartley Street Instructor, Amy Sewick, LHS Guidance Counselor and Jessica Porter, Jobs for Maine’s Graduates Specialist at PWS and LHS.  FMI on events and programs in the Lisbon Schools email mmillhime@lisbonschoolsme.org or call 754.0021.  Find us on Facebook at Community Resource News in Lisbon Schools.