WESTBROOK – The Maine Credit Union movement was one of only four states to be honored for its youth financial education efforts with a Desjardins Youth Financial Education Award by the Credit Union National Association.

The Awards Committee cited “the strong partnership between the Maine Credit Union League and the Maine Council on Economic Education as an example of what can be accomplished to help children learn about personal finance and money management.”

The Maine CU League and a number of credit unions are major contributors to the council and are involved in schools helping Maine children develop a better understanding of financial concepts, such as balancing a checkbook, budgets, savings, credit cards and debts.

The Desjardins Award is named in honor of Alphonse Desjardins, the founder of the North American credit union movement. It considers all activities supporting the personal finance education, including face-to-face teaching, publicity, lobbying for curriculum requirements, teacher and volunteer training, and promotion and use of the as well as use of the NEFE High School Financial Planning Program.