ELKINS, W.Va. — The HomeOwnership Center (HOC) recently teamed up with Ekins’s Freedom Bank to bring a week-long financial education course to Elkins High School seniors.

HOC’s loan originator Chris Vance, home ownership advisor Jami Stewart and program assistant April Sinsel along with Freedom Bank manager Sherrie Cowgill provided students with information on number of topics, including common banking procedures, process of applying for various loan options and student loans, budgeting and credit advising, stocks and bonds and homeownership versus renting.

“We are thrilled we were able to join Freedom Bank in offering pertinent information to a group of young adults who will soon begin their own financial journey whether they choose to go to college or join the workforce after high school,” said HOC’s executive director, Kate Somers. “We hope to be able to reach more high school seniors throughout Randolph County and other nearby high schools in the future.”

Over the last couple of months, the HOC staff and Cowgill worked together to strategize with the senior class’s Civics teachers to ensure students would find the material informative.

“I was so happy to be able to present to the high school students and partner with HOC in this endeavor.  We are sending the majority of our youth out in world without the knowledge or skills necessary to make important financial decisions.  In the world of banking, we see young adults that can’t do the basics like write a check or balance a check book,” said Cowgill.” I hope spending the week with these students has started them on the right path to basic financial knowledge. Partnering with the HomeOwnership Center lets the students know there are financial resources available for them to use either now or in the future; they’re not alone.”

“Our students benefitted greatly from the financial information that they received. It was nice to have professionals in the field to talk to them about issues that will be affecting them in the very near future,” said Shellie Burda, a EHS Civics teacher.

HOC hopes to expand this financial education course to more area high school seniors. If you’re an organization or a business and would like to support HOC and this work, please call 304-636-9115.