2010 Desjardins Youth Financial Education Award

Don’t miss this opportunity to be recognized for your efforts to provide youth financial education. The Texas Credit Union League (TCUL) is accepting nominations for the Desjardins Youth Financial Education Award through Friday, August 6, 2010.

Alphonse Desjardins (1854-1920) was a credit union pioneer who was instrumental in forming the Canadian and U.S. credit union movements. Besides helping to found the first credit unions in Canada and the U.S., Desjardins pioneered youth savings clubs and in-school "banks," known as caisses scolaires.

In honor of his contributions to the credit union movement, the Desjardins Youth Financial Education Award Recognition Program was created. This award recognizes the leadership of individual credit unions and chapters (or groups of credit unions) on behalf of youth financial education.

Competition in this award program is tough, so Texas credit unions are encouraged to carefully review the judging criteria and procedures, as well as the checklist (both of which are available online) to ensure no pertinent information is inadvertently omitted. Credit unions should also be advised that they will be asked to explain in detail their commitment to youth financial education and include significant promotional materials, descriptions, and photos of projects/events with their entry form; therefore, it is not recommended that you wait until the last minute to prepare your entry. All entry forms must be submitted in a three-ring binder or spiral bound notebook.

Credit unions can submit entries in the following categories:

• Chapter or credit union groups (all asset sizes)
• Credit unions with less than $50 million in assets
• Credit unions with between $50 and $150 million in assets
• Credit unions with between $150 and $500 million in assets
• Credit unions with more than $500 million in assets

Judges will evaluate the entries based on:

• Committment to financial education;
• Program promotion and efforts to increase awareness of youth financial literacy issues;
• Outreach/education programs directed at youth, both in and out of school; and
• Cooperation with other organizations to provide youth financial education leadership 

For more details, visit the Awards & Recognition section at http://www.tcul.coop/Awards_and_Recognition2.html.  If you have any questions, please contact TCUL public relations director Linda Webb-Mañon, at (800) 442-5762, Ext. 6486 or via email: lwebb-manon@tcul.coop.