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In response to the growing trend of teaching financial literacy to youth, Maine State CU is excited to announce the launch of its innovative new product, Marty the Mountain. This product is designed to help kids learn how to save and manage money.
“Marty the Mountain was the brainchild of one of our member services representatives in Waterville, Randi Gurski,” said Stephen Wallace, President and CEO of Maine State CU. “Randi noticed that she did not see a lot of kids coming into the branch to make a deposit, nor did she see a lot of youth accounts being open. She spoke with several of our leaders and got the green light to build one.”
Some of the key features of Marty the Mountain include providing financial service representatives and tellers the opportunity to engage kids in financial literacy, while making learning about money management simple and fun for kids. Marty is a fictional character who teaches children about setting financial goals, earning money, and the importance of saving. Each account comes with a workbook that contains helpful tips, charts, and fun activities. Children will receive a prize for every five deposits they make, as well as a sticker each time they come in and deposit to their account.
“This account is basic, but fun,” said Randi Gurski, Maine State CU Financial Services Representative and product creator. “The aim was to create a product that teaches kids the importance of saving. The development of this product was a collaborative effort. I learned a lot, and if I had not taken the risk, I never would have understood how complex and how many steps it takes to build something like this.”
The launch of the Marty the Mountain product coincides with Youth Week at Maine State CU, which happens during the April school vacation from April 16 – 19. During this time or anytime, families can visit any Maine State CU branch and learn more about Marty the Mountain.