Gesa Credit Union Opens Student Branch at Shadle Park

The new on-campus facility provides students with hands-on financial management experience and secure banking services.

Updated on Oct. 30, 2026 in Financial Aid

Bold vector illustration featuring wooden tokens and a mortarboard, representing financial literacy and student career development. — Gesa Credit Union has opened a new student-run branch at Spokane's Shadle Park High School, offering financial literacy and career training. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Gesa Credit Union has launched a new student-run branch at Shadle Park High School in Spokane. This addition marks the third location within the city's public school district and aims to provide pupils with practical banking skills.

Why it matters

The program integrates financial literacy into high school curricula by providing students with accounts that feature guardrails to prevent overdraft fees. It simultaneously creates professional career pathways through the district's career and technical education programming.

Gesa Credit Union now manages eight on-campus locations across Spokane and Spokane Valley. The Shadle Park branch offers students essential services including online banking and debit cards.

The players

Gesa Credit Union

This financial institution operates multiple on-campus branches across the region to facilitate student banking and career training.

Shadle Park High School

This educational facility serves as the latest site for a student-run credit union branch within the Spokane Public School district.

The details

At the new branch, student employees manage financial tasks under peer supervision while gaining experience in marketing and money management. Participants in the program are eligible for scholarships as they develop their professional skills in a real-world setting.

October 2025: North Central High School branch opened.
October 13, 2026: Lewis and Clark High School branch opened.
October 29, 2026: Shadle Park High School branch opened.

Culture Shift

This program reflects a broader societal shift toward integrating financial literacy and career-focused vocational training directly into the high school experience. By embedding services like these within the Spokane Public School district's CTE programming, schools are moving beyond classroom theory to practical, hands-on professional development.

Students at Shadle Park High School can now manage their own accounts and debit cards without the risk of incurring overdraft fees. This direct access to banking services simplifies financial management for pupils while building long-term fiscal habits.

The takeaway

Students can benefit from early exposure to professional financial environments by volunteering at on-campus branches. Utilizing these school-based accounts provides a low-risk environment to learn about budgeting and bank management before transitioning to post-graduation life.