Winkler Credit Union Forms Junior Board of Directors
Garden Valley Collegiate
Winkler, Manitoba

By: Sandra (Grade 11)

Students at Garden Valley Collegiate in Winkler were looking for a new way to "Strive for Excellence." They responded to a suggestion from the Winkler Credit Union, an organization that in the past has often helped the school. The Credit Union volunteered to pilot a Junior Board of Directors which was an idea they received from the Minnedosa Credit Union.

The Junior Board consists of Robert Jones, the general manager; Tina Lane, the marketing services coordinator; and five Grade 11 students and five Grade 12 students. This board now meets once a month to discuss what is going on at the Credit Union on the business and marketing side. Participating students learn many hands-on skills such as marketing, financing, and budgeting. In a recent interview, Tina Lane said the Junior Board is like a "bridge between the Credit Union and the high school market."

The Credit Union donates approximately $5,000 to Garden Valley Collegiate every year. The best way for Credit Union donors to know how their money is used would be to ask the students on whom the money is spent. The Junior Board will use the Credit Union money in a way that benefits the school and the students.

At every meeting the Junior Board will review the financial statement of the Credit Union. Students will learn how the Credit Union runs, where it spends its money, and where it makes its money. The Junior Board is run in the same way as the regular board, only the Junior Board does not have to handle the 'make or break' decisions. It is an excellent learning experience. The students involved learn many community leadership qualities and they are required to promote community involvement.

The Winkler Credit Union describes this program as "an investment in our future."

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