Students Learn Banking Skills With Real Tellers At School

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Students at one Baltimore City school are getting ahead of the game by gaining real world banking skills.

Andrea Fujii explains they don't even have to leave campus.

Students can bank at school with student bank tellers.

"I do deposits, withdrawals, and basically manage the bank. I make sure everything's OK," said Sierra Hatchett, 12th grader.

Three years ago the Municipal Employee Credit Union or MECU teamed up with the National Academy Foundation in South Baltimore.

They trained students to become tellers to fulfill their finance class requirements.

But to Sierra Hatchet it's worth much more.

"If I do own my own bank, I would know what to do," said Hatchet.

At least 28 students have come through the program and have graduated with an edge.

"I have a lot of advantages because I can put it on my resume, because I worked at an actual MECU bank," said Rykeem Hunter, student.

"The earlier you get in, the better your credit score is. The more you learn, the better off you are," said Harik Kofer, finance teacher.

Students learn more than just financial skills from the other students and teachers who come in.

"Communication skills, interacting with students, learn how to work on a professional basis," said James Mosby, student.

Once students in the program graduate they're qualified to work at a MECU branch. Four former students already do.

Many of the students that complete the program either go on to college or straight to the work force.

Four Baltimore County Schools have a similar program partnered with First Federal Credit Union.