We have a special challenge for our Youth Members – set a savings goal, earn and save money, and win prizes! They’ll also have the opportunity to earn some bonus reward deposits from their credit union for completing activities that help their community AND their savings account!

Choose the JV, Varsity, or Big League Challenge and set a savings goal amount and target date to reach the goal. We have some suggestions for how to earn and save money below – you can use this opportunity to teach your young savers the value of money by setting up an allowance, finding low- and no-cost activities for your family, and how to achieve their financial goals when they set their mind to it!

Savings deposits must be made into a Cutting Edge Youth Savings Account.

JUNIOR VARSITY SAVINGS CHALLENGE

Minimum savings goal is $10 | Suggested ages 3-7 years old

JV Goal Getters will earn a $5 McDonalds gift card once they’ve achieved their savings goal, and have the opportunity to earn up to $5 in Bonus Rewards deposits from Cutting Edge – plus, they can complete a special coin counting coloring sheet to receive a Paint Your Own Coin Bank!

Our youngest Goal Getters are building a foundational understanding of money for how it’s earned, saved and spent. Here are some ways to help your JV Goal Getter reach their savings goal and complete their goal sheet:

Simple chores including things like –

• Sorting & folding laundry
• Setting the table
• Feeding, watering, and walking pets
• Putting their toys away
• Making their bed
• Watering plants
• Raking leaves & pulling weeds
• Retrieving the mail
• Or find more chore ideas by age range on a recent Financial Fitness Center blog post

Visit the Clarkston Farmer’s Market or Oregon City Farmer’s Market to receive a free $2 in POP Club tokens each week to purchase fresh produce and learn about growing food, healthy food choices, and more!

Youth Members can familiarize themselves with coins and their values with this fun song while they complete the coin counting coloring sheet!

There are some fantastic stories to teach children about the value of money and lessons about saving and spending – check your local library or the Libby app to read them for free!

• Shanti Saves her Money by Lisa Bullard
• A Chair for My Mother by Vera B. Williams
• Jenny Found a Penny by Trudy Harris
• Pete the Cat Saves Up by Kimberly & James Dean
• The Money We’ll Save by Brock Cole
• Money, Money, Honey Bunny! by Marilyn Sadler and Roger Bollen
• The Berenstain Bears’ Trouble With Money by Stan & Jan Berenstain

VARSITY SAVINGS CHALLENGE

Minimum savings goal is $50 | Suggested ages 8-13 years old

Varsity Goal Getters will earn a $10 Visa gift card at the halfway mark and a $25 movie theater gift card once they’ve achieved their savings goal – and have the opportunity to earn up to $12 in Bonus Rewards deposits from Cutting Edge!

Tweens and teens should be familiar with the denominations of currency and begin learning the basics of budgeting, income, expenses, and “needs vs. wants.” Engaging them in money talks at the dinner table and taking them shopping with you are great opportunities to introduce these concepts and share your family’s values surrounding money. Varsity Goal Getters should be capable of helping with more independent chores around the house and in your neighborhood, which could help them earn an regular allowance (their “income). Here are some ways to help your Varsity Goal Getter reach their savings goal and complete their goal sheet:

Help your child create a vision board for their goal by including images of ideas about how they might earn money or what they might buy with the money you’ve saved. If you’ve never created a vision board before, here is a straight-forward how-to resource to get you started!

Visit the Clarkston Farmer’s Market or Oregon City Farmer’s Market to receive a free $2 in POP Club tokens each week to purchase fresh produce and learn about growing food, healthy food choices, and more.

There are plenty of ways to find low-cost and FREE fun in your community to save money:

• Look to your local parks & recreation organization and libraries for community event calendars (check out resources like Lewiston Parks & Recreation for Movies Under the Stars, Dive & Drive In Movies, and the Rec Mobile; North Clackamas Parks & Recreation for a Concerts in the Park series, Movies in the Park, and their Traveling RecMobile)
• Visit your local pool or splashpad instead of an expensive water park to stay cool in the summer
• Pack a picnic and have lunch in your favorite park or playground
• Find a volunteer opportunity to serve your community, or create your own by organizing a cleanup event for your friends and neighbors

There are some excellent books to teach older children about the value of money and lessons about saving and spending – check your local library or the Libby app to read them for free!

• Rock, Brock, and the Savings Shock by Sheila Bair
• Isabel’s Car Wa$h by Sheila Bair
• Do I Need It? Or Do I Want It? Making Budget Choices by Jennifer S. Larson
• Lemonade in Winter by Emily Jenkins
• Those Shoes by Maribeth Boelts
• My Rows and Piles of Coins by E.B. Lewis
• The Project Startup Series Heather Alexander, Laura D’Asaro & Rose Wang

BIG LEAGUE SAVINGS CHALLENGE

Minimum savings goal is $150 | Suggested ages 14-17 years old

Big League Goal Getters will earn a $15 Visa gift card at the halfway mark and a $25 movie theater gift card once they’ve achieved their savings goal – and have the opportunity to earn up to $50 in Bonus Rewards deposits from Cutting Edge!

The Big League Challenge participants should be actively practicing money management skills, and may even be working or making regular income. They are likely learning about finance in school, so this is a great time to supplement their school curriculum with real-world experience as they prepare to graduate from high school and venture into adulthood! The Bonus Rewards opportunities for this savings challenge are designed to prepare them for earning income, managing their spending, and finding savings opportunities. Here are some ways to help your Big League Goal Getter reach their savings goal and complete their goal sheet:

Encouraging service to their community can be a fun and free experience – find local volunteer opportunities at their school or on apps such as VolunteerMatch. More local opportunities for the Lewiston area can be found here:

• WA-ID Volunteer Center
• United Way Twin County
• The Idaho Foodbank
• Lewis Clark Animal Shelter

More local opportunities for the Milwaukie area can be found here:

• City of Milwaukie Volunteer Matters
• Milwaukie Community Center
• SOLVE Oregon
• Oregon Dog Rescue

Preparing for life after high school may include getting ready to go off to college or trade school – which can be very expensive! But you may be surprised by how many grant and scholarship opportunities exist for post-secondary education. Check in with your child’s school advising office or career advisor for suggested scholarship opportunities – or, here’s a good place to begin your research:

Opportunity Idaho Scholarship

Washington Opportunity Pathways

Oregon Student Aid Scholarships

If they’re planning on joining the workforce, they will likely need a resume that reflects their skills, education and volunteer/extracurricular experience. Indeed has some excellent tips, templates, and resources for creating a first resume without having work history.

Encourage your teen to create a vision board for their goal by including images of ideas about how they might earn money or what you might buy with the money they’ve saved. If you’ve never created a vision board before, here is a straight-forward how-to resource to get you started!

There are some fantastic books to teach almost-adults about personal finance, economics, and investing – check your local library or the Libby app to read them for free!

• Growing Money: A Complete Investing Guide for Kids by Gail Karlitz and Debbie Honig
• Heads Up Money by DK
• How Money Works: The Facts Visually Explained by DK
• More Money, Please: The Financial Secrets You Never Learned in School by Scott Gamm
• The History of Money by Martin Jenkins