Mar 28, 2024 5 min read

Courtesy of CHROME Federal Credit Union

Student tellers, from left, Calvin White, Sylvia Stoy, Ryan Slagle, and Assaad Nassar, work at CHROME Federal Credit Union’s student-led branch, The Hiller Vault, at Trinity High School.

Courtesy of CHROME Federal Credit Union

Student tellers, from left, Calvin White, Sylvia Stoy, Ryan Slagle, and Assaad Nassar, work at CHROME Federal Credit Union’s student-led branch, The Hiller Vault, at Trinity High School.

Courtesy of CHROME Federal Credit Union

Trinity High School and CHROME Federal Credit Union have partnered to launch a student-run branch at the high school.

Students at Trinity High School can save their money, spend their money, and learn to manage their money – without ever leaving campus – at a financial institution led by their peers.

The student-run credit union, called The Hiller Vault, opened to students and staff on Tuesday.

Occupying a section of the cafeteria, the fully functioning branch is run by students who are assisted on-site by a liaison from CHROME Federal Credit Union, which partnered with Trinity Area School District to launch the branch.

The branch is open during the high school’s lunch periods – from 10:15 a.m. to 1 p.m. – on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Hiller Vault is an extension of financial literacy education at the high school, and it fulfills CHROME’s mission to be a resource for financial literacy, especially for youth, said Jasmine Hughes, director of marketing at CHROME.

Four student tellers were hired to work at The Hiller Vault and underwent training, including working at CHROME’s other branches.

In addition to opening and maintaining checking and savings accounts, students can work with CHROME staff to budget, plan for future expenses, and set financial goals.

“It’s our hope that we can help them avoid some common financial struggles by providing a solid foundation as they begin their lives after high school,” said Michele Wilson, Director of Retail Operations at CHROME.

The students run a credit union with essentially the same functionality of CHROME’s other branches – performing transactions, opening accounts, applying for car loans, withdrawing money for soft drinks, and helping with other services, points out Assaad Nassar, a senior and president of the high school’s Future Business Leaders of America Club, and also one of The Hiller Vault tellers.

“All this stuff helps you in real life,” said Nassar, who has been involved with the high school’s Business and Accounting program – one of nine Career and Technical Education programs offered – since his freshman year.

Nassar recently participated in an internship at CHROME, learning alongside tellers and service representatives at the Racetrack Road branch.

“All of the things you get to do is hands-on experience. I get to meet people, I help with transactions, you really get to go out in the real word and do stuff. Here, you’re getting to know people, getting to know about their lives. Working at a job like this is probably one of the best experiences I could have. I get a lot of value from the job itself,” said Nassar, who plans to attend West Virginia University in the fall, where he will major in biology and minor in business and finance.

Student accounts will stay open past graduation, and they’ll be able to conduct transactions at any of the branch locations.

The Hiller Vault was a big undertaking that CHROME and the high school had long worked on, said Trinity High School Assistant Principal Zack Zebrasky.

Whether young people are leaving school to live independent lives or heading to college, they need to learn to manage their finances so that they can save for the future and use credit wisely, Zebrasky said. That includes basic knowledge about banking, transactions, credit scores, and loans.

“We had Trinity students who graduated who said one of the biggest things they needed was to be prepared for life after high school. How do I make a budget, how do I prepare myself to sustain my lifestyle based on my income, how do I apply for loans and things like that?” said Zebrasky. “These are the kinds of things they need to be prepared for.”

Before The Hiller Vault officially opened its doors Tuesday, CHROME hosted a Financial Reality Fair for Trinity High School juniors and seniors.

Students were tasked with completing a budget – including figuring out how to juggle financial issues such as car payments and auto insurance, cellphone bills, computer repairs, and more – making sure they had money left over at the end.

At the fair, there were about 20 booths manned by professionals who talked with the students about financial matters.

Students also got to use the Wheel of Reality – similar to the Wheel of Fortune and the game of Life’s spinning wheel – where teens spun the wheel, which landed on a financial windfall or a bill.

Wilson said The Hiller Vault has been a win-win for the school district and CHROME. The tellers have become capable at handling several areas of banking.

“I am continually impressed by these students. They are fully engaged members of our team who are trained to provide the same excellent member service as the rest of our staff,” said Wilson. “It’s our goal to provide them with experience they can take with them to future jobs. In addition to banking, they are learning professionalism, teamwork, and leadership.”

Courtesy of CHROME Federal Credit Union

Trinity High School and CHROME Federal Credit Union have partnered to launch a student-run branch at the high school.