Three Christiansburg High School students traveled to Roanoke this week to begin training to run a school-based credit union set to open in the fall.

Member One Credit Union plans to have branches in three area high schools: Christiansburg, Franklin County and William Fleming high schools.

"The main focus was financial literacy," said Cathy Johnson, the bank's vice president of branch administration. "We see the need. A lot of students graduate and don't even know how to balance a checkbook."

The credit union will operate as a typical bank branch, but its customers will be limited to students and faculty, Johnson said.

The Christiansburg students -- all juniors and seniors -- will receive class credit through the county's cooperative learning program, which places students in real-life work situations. They'll also earn a paycheck.

Johnson said the student employees will act as any other bank employee and will work at their local branches during the summer. On weekends and school breaks, the student workers are likely to show up at local branches, too.

When school starts, the students will work at the branch, market themselves and also help coordinate programs on financial literacy for their peers.

Two years ago, to comply with state law, the Virginia Department of Education outlined a group of personal finance lessons students would begin learning in middle and high schools.

It's a long list but includes checkbook balancing, understanding contracts and working with merchants.

After training at the credit union's Roanoke headquarters, students will work the desks at their local branches next week.

Johnson said she wants students she employs to take back some of what they learn to parents.

Christiansburg is the only New River Valley school with a branch opening, but Johnson said the bank has been in talks with Radford High School about opening a location.

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Anna L. Mallory covers events and issues affecting Montgomery County schools and beyond. If you have information you'd like featured, e-mail anna.mallory@roanoke.com.