Otsego earns State Compass Award for financial literacy program

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio (WTVG) - Otsego High School is being recognized by the State of Ohio for its financial literacy program.

A student-run credit union opened in September.

“It’s not just my teacher telling me you need a bank account, it’s my peers telling me you should get a bank account because you are going to need it someday,” teacher Ashley Tatham said.

Students say learning about finances. This way beats lessons out of a textbook.

“I feel like schools don’t teach this enough and i feel like this is one of the most important things because if you mess up, you mess up no second chances,” student Michael Gonzalez said.

Emily Atkinson says her parents have helped her set up for success.

“They always said ‘you have a job, so you need to pay for your own gas’ so I think that set me up to see how the real world is. Not only are you going to have to pay for gas, but a house and everything else. It’s given me that responsibility.”

Ohio’s State Treasurer Robert Sprague visited Otsego Monday to present the students with a Compass Award.

“Not only are they learning inside the simulation, and they are talking to other kids about financial literacy, savings, and the credit union. It’s just a fantastic program”

Students will hold a grand opening for its new ATM machine March 23.

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