For the month of August, we’re recognizing Perla Lopez as our Volunteer Of The Month!
Perla is a SCE FCU team member at the Horizon Ridge branch in Henderson, NV. Whenever help is needed at a local Mad City Money event, she’s one of the first to sign up.
“Financial education is just as important as learning to read or write,” Perla says. “Young adults need good financial skills to feel safe and truly independent.” She insists that Mad City Money is such a valuable experience, it should be mandatory for all high school students.
Her favorite vendor role to play in Mad City Money is the Fickle Finger Of Fate, where participants encounter life’s unexpected events and see first-hand the disaster those events can have on a tight budget. “It’s one of the most important lessons students learn in Mad City,” she says. “Life is unpredictable, and this station gives students very realistic examples. I like to see how students begin to change their spending habits after visiting my table.”
Perla has some great advice for teens. “When you get a paycheck, the first thing you should do is put money away in a savings account. It takes a lot of self-control not to spend your last dime, but in the end having an emergency fund really comes in handy.”
Do you have some hard-earned life experience to pass on to the younger generation? Join us to volunteer at an upcoming event and see how fun and rewarding it can be! Find out more on our Volunteers page.