Kansas City High School Runs Student-Led Credit Union

Students gain real-world financial skills by operating their own credit union on campus.

Published on Feb. 25, 2026

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Students at a high school in Kansas City are learning valuable financial literacy skills by running their own credit union within the school. The student-led credit union allows them to gain hands-on experience with banking operations, customer service, and personal finance.

Why it matters

Financial education is crucial for preparing students for life after high school, but many schools struggle to effectively teach these important skills. The student-run credit union model provides an innovative way to give students practical, real-world experience managing money and operating a financial institution.

The details

The student-run credit union at the Kansas City high school allows students to take on roles like tellers, loan officers, and branch managers. They handle tasks like opening accounts, processing deposits and withdrawals, and approving loans for their fellow students. The credit union is fully operational, with its own policies, procedures, and technology systems.

  • The student-run credit union opened at the high school in September 2025.

The players

Kansas City High School

A public high school located in Kansas City, Kansas that has implemented a student-run credit union program to teach financial literacy.

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What they’re saying

“Having a real credit union in our school gives us skills we'll use for the rest of our lives. I'm learning so much about banking and money management that my parents didn't even know when they were my age.”

— Emily Nguyen, High School Junior (NPR)

What’s next

The school plans to expand the student-run credit union program to include more advanced financial education courses and potentially open it up to the broader community.

The takeaway

By empowering students to run their own credit union, this Kansas City high school is providing a unique and invaluable financial education that will serve students well beyond their time in the classroom.