Belco credit union marks 15 years at Big Spring with scholarships, classroom programs

Belco Community Credit Union told the Big Spring School District board on Sept. 2 that its Bulldog branch is marking 15 years inside Big Spring High School and that the credit union plans a series of anniversary activities and student supports.

"We are celebrating 15 years of bulldog pride and financial empowerment," Angie Barlope, Belco's financial education program manager, said in a presentation to the board. Barlope outlined internships and co‑ops that led to paid jobs and even supervisory‑committee membership for former students, and she said the branch provides recurring student supports such as financial reality fairs and classroom materials.

Why it matters: The in‑school branch places banking and financial‑literacy experiences inside the high school, a long‑running partnership the district said has produced staff and student benefits. Belco highlighted two $500 Bulldog branch scholarships available only to Big Spring graduating seniors and said it would present a $500 donation to the school's 4 Diamonds mini‑thon at the Sept. 26 football game.

Barlope also described free classroom tools Belco is offering. She said the My 1st Nest Egg app — aimed at children ages 3–13 and not tied to Belco accounts — gives parents daily financial questions to prompt conversations and includes a teacher platform the district is piloting. She also described a Click Smart program developed with local law enforcement to teach students how to avoid online scams.

Board comments were positive: board members thanked Belco for sustained outreach and asked practical questions about account opening. Belco said students can open a youth savings account with a $5 deposit and that the branch provides promo certificates that place $50 into new youth accounts as an incentive.

The presentation closed with a question‑and‑answer period and the board moved on to routine agenda items. The district did not take formal action on the presentation.