A group of teens from Tallahassee\u2019s Pace Center for Girls walked into First Commerce Credit Union Thursday to open their very first certificates of deposit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Zakiyah, 17, was the first to sign her name.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSaving is important especially in the future for when you want to do something that you yourself want to do without any help,\u201d Haynes said. \u201cThe main reason I want to do all this stuff is to make my mama proud.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The young women are part of a program called \u201cEmpowering Your Financial Life\u201d which is a collaboration between the credit union\u2019s foundation and the nonprofit Consulting Together Community Outreach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe goal of this program is to empower young women with the knowledge and tools needed to make informed financial decisions,\u201d CTCO\u2019s Natalie Rackley Parrish said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The young women have learned about day to day budgeting, using credit cards, paying taxes, investing, buying insurance and more. The teens have gone on several field trips including one to the grocery store and one to buy toys for a recent holiday drive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI feel like this program has definitely helped me because I used to just want to spend money like crazy,\u201d Akeelah said. She says she is now focused on saving for college and dreams of opening her own business one day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The girls are set to graduate from the Empowering Your Financial Life program in March.<\/p>\n\n\n\n