First Financial hosted students from Lansdowne High School to learn about all the possible careers in the field of finance. The students got to hear from team members across many departments within First Financial, including HR, Innovation & Strategy, Lending, Accounting, Quality Assurance, Marketing, Information Technology and Information Security.
The students were given a tour of First Financial’s Administrative Center located in Sparks, Maryland, where they had the opportunity to ask questions and learn more about the various careers available within the financial field!
First Financial provides many different financial wellness initiatives for students. Visit our Educator Resources to learn more or schedule your school’s visit today.
First Financial volunteers engaged with 70 students from Kenwood High School for yesterday’s Adulting 101 program! This innovative budgeting activity helps young adults experience the life of a working adult through a fun and interactive simulation.
In the Adulting 101 program, students are given a “Life Scenario” that includes a career, salary, family situation, and potential student loans. They then visit various stations, guided by First Financial volunteers, to make important budgeting decisions for housing, transportation, childcare (if needed), health insurance, groceries, and more!
Our volunteers assist students in navigating these choices while sticking to their budget, encountering real-world challenges along the way. As a credit union founded by an educator, First Financial is committed to providing free and engaging financial education to the youth in our community. This program offers students valuable financial wellness skills that will benefit them now and in their future.
Interested in scheduling Adulting 101 for your classroom? Please contact our Youth Outreach Team at youthoutreach@firstfinancial.org.
Congratulations to the 2025 Baltimore County Public Schools’ School Resource Officers of the Year!
We were excited to recognize the outstanding SROs who have gone above and beyond to support the safety and well-being of BCPS students and staff. In partnership with the Baltimore County Police Department (BCoPD), these dedicated officers play a vital role in creating a secure and welcoming school environment.
- Elementary School SRO of the Year: Officer Palmerino
- Middle School SRO of the Year: Officer Murphy
- High School SRO of the Year: Officer Mitchell
As the official credit union for BCPS, First Financial is honored to participate in the annual surprise ceremonies celebrating these outstanding offices. This year, our Youth Outreach Team members, Casey and Jocelyn, along with Relationship Manager Joan, had the privilege of presenting each honoree with a special gift as a small token of our appreciation.
A Strong Partnership for Safer Schools
The SRO program is a key part of BCPS’s Safe Schools Initiative. These officers do more than ensure safety, they build meaningful relationships with students, serve as mentors, and foster a positive school culture.
Thank you to the Officers for all that they do! We’re grateful for the continued partnership between BCPS and BCoPD, and for the officers who make a positive impact every day.
Check out the photo gallery below for highlights from the ceremonies.
We were excited to kick off our new Adulting 101 program with Woodlawn High School! First Financial volunteers had a blast and were excited to help 100 students navigate through the budgeting simulation.
Adulting 101 takes students through one month of the life of a working adult. Each student receives a “Life Scenario” that includes a career with associated salary, their family situation (married, single, children, etc.), and potentially any student loans needed for their careers. Then, the students will visit various stations that represent budgeting choices such as housing, transportation, childcare (if necessary), health insurance, groceries, entertainment, and more!
Our volunteers helped the students navigate these choices and work towards living their best lives with the scenarios they have been given. Of course, just like the real world, they also had to navigate speedbumps along the way!
The program is a great opportunity for students to learn financial wellness skills that they can use now and navigate their financial future responsibly. Understanding the power of budgeting can play an important role in achieving their life goals!
Check out the photo gallery below for more photos from the event.
Our First Financial team and the Limitless Leaders had a blast with 50 students from Chesapeake High School for today’s Adulting 101 program! The new budgeting activity helps young adults navigate through one month of the life of a working adult.
At the beginning of the program, students receive a “Life Scenario” that includes a career, salary, their family situation and potentially any student loans. The students must then make smart and informed spending choices to stick within their budget as they visit various stations that represent major budget items like housing, transportation, childcare, groceries and more.
Supporting the youth in our community and providing financial education is at the heart of everything we do. We are thrilled to help the students practice their personal finance skills and prepare to navigate their financial futures’ responsibly!
First Financial’s Limitless Leaders are the credit union’s emerging professionals who participate in professional development activities, networking events, and volunteering opportunities.
Check out the photo gallery for more images from the day!
Congratulations to the Class of 2024 scholarship winners! We are proud to report this year, we awarded $162,000 in scholarships to 54 outstanding high school seniors! Scholarship recipients were recognized at First Financial’s 71st Annual Meeting on April 18, 2024, at Martin’s Valley Mansion in Cockeysville, MD.
Through the credit union’s annual Scholarship Program, we award $3,000 in scholarships to each high school within our field of membership. Participating high schools include Baltimore, Carroll, Worcester and Somerset County Public Schools, as well as the private schools we serve. Additional scholarships are made available to existing student members who attend schools outside of our field of membership.
We’re honored to provide the annual Scholarship Program to support the youth in our community in achieving their highest academic goals! For the complete list of scholarship recipients, visit the Scholarship Page on our main website.
We wish all the students the very best on their next academic adventure!
Our First Financial volunteers were thrilled to visit Patapsco High School for the latest Adulting 101 session! Our team helped 120 students navigate the budgeting simulation and make smart financial decisions.
Adulting 101 is an engaging program where students experience a month in the life of a working adult. They receive a “Life Scenario” with a job, salary, family situation, and potential student loans.
Then the students will visit various stations that represent major budget items, such as housing, transportation, childcare, groceries, entertainment and more. The First Financial team guides them in making informed decisions to stay within their scenario’s budget!
As a credit union founded by an educator, we believe in continuing education beyond the classroom. That’s why we’re dedicated to providing free and fun financial education and resources to the youth in our community!
Interested in scheduling Adulting 101 for your classroom? Please contact our Youth Outreach Team at youthoutreach@firstfinancial.org.
First Financial was honored to join the 2024 Outstanding Young Women Leadership Program Annual Picnic, hosted by Towson University and Baltimore County Public Schools!
The Outstanding Young Women Leadership Program started in 2020 through a partnership between Towson University’s Women’s Leadership Collective, founded by Dr. Grasmick, TU’s Presidential Scholar, and Baltimore County Public Schools. First Financial is proud to serve as the program’s primary sponsor.
Each year, the program brings together current and former students to attend and share their experiences. This year, the alumni came to visit the 5th cohort at the picnic as they shared their experiences and advice regarding the transition to college. They also answered any questions the current students had about the entire process, helping to better prepare themselves for this next stage in their life.
First Financial’s Youth Outreach Manager Cindy and Youth Outreach Coordinator Jocelyn attended the picnic not only as sponsors of the program, but also mentors for these young women to succeed in their future careers.
First Financial hosted students from Dundalk High School during their Career Exploration Summer Camp to learn about all the possible careers in the field of finance. The students were greeted by First Financial CEO Eric Church in a virtual message and then heard from team members across many departments within First Financial, including HR, Innovation & Strategy, Lending, Accounting, Quality Assurance, Marketing, Information Technology and Information Security. The students were given a tour of First Financial’s Administrative Center located in Sparks, Maryland, where they had the opportunity to ask questions and learn more about the various careers available within the financial field!
First Financial provides many different financial wellness initiatives for students. To learn more or schedule your school’s visit, please contact our Youth Outreach Team at youthoutreach@firstfinancial.org for more information.
Congratulations to the Baltimore County Public Schools (BCPS) Baltimore County Police Department (BCoPD) School Resource Officers (SRO) of the Year! Their hard work and dedication to keeping #TeamBCPS safe is truly appreciated!
- Elementary School SRO of the Year: Officer Gilbert
- Middle School SRO of the Year: Officer Pitts
- High School SRO of the Year: Officer Long
As the credit union for BCPS, we were proud to be part of the surprise SRO of the Year Ceremonies and recognize the Officers for their service. First Financial’s Relationship Manager Joan, Youth Outreach Manager Cindy and Youth Outreach Coordinator Jocelyn were thrilled to present gift baskets to show our gratitude.
The SRO partnership between BCPS and BCoPD helps to ensure safe learning environments for the schools and offices. Additionally, the Officers serve as mentors and role models to the students. Thank you to the Officers for all that they do!
Check out the photo gallery below for a few highlights from each ceremony.
