Haverhill Bank staff Tess Parker, Janet Odenwelder, Ana Gonzalez and Matthew Martin counsel Haverhill High School students at the Credit for Life Fair in April.
Forty high school students recently learned how to budget and spend their money during simulated financial life experiences.
The teens, participating in a partnership between Haverhill Bank and Haverhill High School’s Financial Literacy Program, were assigned faux careers and salaries and then tasked with responsibly budgeting their money during mock life checkpoints at a Credit for Life Fair at Northern Essex Community College. At the end of the exercise, Haverhill Bank employees reviewed the students’ choices and met with them one-on-one to discuss their outcomes. The fair aimed to offer a fun and effective means of teaching students how to manage their personal finances, officials said.
“The Credit for Life Fair offers students an invaluable experience,” said Haverhill Bank President and CEO Thomas L. Mortimer. “It’s a great way to practice the financial literacy skills everyone needs in order to operate successfully in the world.”
In addition to Haverhill Bank employees, representatives from several local businesses and professionals volunteered to help guide students during the fair. Cedardale, Costello Insurance and Poppins Salon and City Spa were among those participating, as was Coldwell Banker real estate agent Jefferson Davis. Emmaus House Inc. hosted a community service booth as a means of educating teens about the value of giving back to their community in the form of volunteerism.