Otselic Valley Junior Isabella Neal has stepped into a new role this year as a student ambassador for Sidney Federal Credit Union, helping introduce the credit union to the OV community and connecting classmates with financial resources.
"I thought it would be fun to get involved with an outside thing that could help our community," she said. "Getting involved with SFCU allows us to get more involved with banking.”
She said SFCU attended OV CSD’s Open House, and plans to get more involved with the district to help with financial planning and education.
The partnership arrives as New York State begins phasing in new personal finance instruction for students in grades K–12 this school year.
When asked about the future of the SFCU partnership, Neal said she hopes the program keeps growing, and that it eventually reaches the district's youngest students. Neal plans to continue as ambassador next year, and will help select the student who takes over the role after she graduates.