CU*SOUTH, a provider of CU*BASE core data processing services, recently announced that staff members volunteered time to assist CUNA in presenting the Mad City Money program for a group of students in Louisiana during the weekend of August 7th. Mark Bohdanyk, Director of Business Development and Starla Honea, Client Service Manager for CU*SOUTH, were on hand to assist after attending the recent Louisiana Credit Union League Convention held earlier during the week.
According to Bohdanyk, Mad City Money is a 2 1/2 – hour simulation program born from CUNA’s initiative to provide financial education for the youth population. Mad City Money provides participants a set of circumstances and a the opportunity to experience the decision making processes of purchasing a home, a vehicle, even everyday necessities such as food, clothes, personal care products and more. An important facet about the effectiveness of this program is that it also allows students to be tempted by products such as cell phones, vacations, computers, etc. – and then to suffer the consequences of making poor decisions.
“The entire purpose of the program is show kids how to use a checkbook, to create and stick to a budget – and then to subsequently break their budget, so that they understand realistic consequences of their decisions,” commented Bohdanyk.
Both Starla and Mark were very helpful in illustrating that to our participants,” commented Lin Standke, CUDE, CCUFC and Manager of Youth Programs at the Center for Personal Finance at CUNA. “I think the program was a success,” she continued.