AUBURN – Approximately 150 juniors from six high schools, Lewiston, Poland, Dirigo, Livermore Falls, Leavitt and Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School, gathered at the Central Maine Community College on April 7 for the state’s first Financial Fitness Money Management Experience Event.

Organized by the Norm Nolette Chapter of Credit Unions, which includes Oxford Federal Credit Union, the Maine Credit Union League, Maine Council on Economic Education and CMMC, the event was considered a success.

The timing of the event coincided with April’s designation by Gov. John Baldacci as “Financial Literacy for Youth Month.”

“The students learned how important – and how difficult – it can be to create and stay on a budget. They learned that they may not be able to afford quite what they had hoped,” said Jon Paradise, league spokesman.

Students was provided with a scenario packet of their life at age 22 with which the they were to map out their financial future.

Dirigo High School teacher Robin Marshall accompanied his advanced consumer mathematics class to the fair. “I had 100 percent positive feedback from my students, which is unusual,” he said. A student told him, “I didn’t realize (until now) how difficult it is to live a life.”

Lenny Fairchild, Oxford Federal Credit Union assistant to VP HR/Marketing, an event organizer, said “We were so proud of our Oxford County students. Their preparation and their commitment to the event was outstanding.”

Other OFCU participants included Matt Kaubris, Cynthia Giroux, Samantha Noyes, Deb Boudreau, Heather Gallant, Steve Dean and Susan Graves.