April 29, 2015

ST. HELENS, Ore., April 29, 2015: St. Helens Community Credit Union celebrated the opening of its latest high school branch with a ribbon cutting celebration. School administrators, educators, students, as well as credit union staff and management attended the event.

The Rainier Student Branch, staffed by five members of the credit union’s Student Teller Program, opened to an excited crowd on April 3, 2015. The new, student-run branch is located in the school’s commons area, features a tech bar for secure Online Banking logins, and more.

“This is a great learning tool,” said Brooke Van Vleet, President and CEO of St. Helens Community. “Thanks to the dedication of Tammy Paulson, the Rainier branch manager, we have an ongoing partnership with the school district. That partnership means our student tellers will earn money and gain valuable work experience that will last a lifetime. The rest of the students will learn the importance of saving, how to do their banking, and how to build good credit.”

Those who enjoyed the celebration included Superintendent Michael Carter, several members of the Rainier School Board and Chamber of Commerce, school faculty, as well as St. Helens Community employees.

“I’m really excited about the opportunity to be a student teller,” said Colton Verhoef, a senior at Rainier Junior/Senior High School. “I know I’ll learn a lot and I cannot wait to help my friends do their banking right here at school.”

St. Helens Community Student Teller Program is in its fourth year and already has student branches in Scappoose as well as St. Helens High School.

St. Helens Community Credit Union (shcu.org) is proud to be the area’s longstanding not-for-profit, member-owned financial cooperative. Membership is open to families and businesses throughout Columbia, Clatsop, and Cowlitz Counties as well as Sauvie Island, Oregon.