Month: May 2021

America First Credit Union and Vegas Golden Knights Celebrate Teachers With “Game-Changer” Award

Las Vegas Knights

Winners of the America First Credit Union and Vegas Golden Nights Game-Changer award program gather at Citi National Arena, the Knight’s practice facility in Summerlin, on April 5, 2021 after a celebratory luncheon in their honor.

LAS VEGAS (May 20, 2021) – For the fourth year in a row, America First Credit Union and the Vegas Golden Knights honored teachers in the Clark County School District with a special award. The Game-Changer program awarded four outstanding teachers who made a positive impact in the classroom and in the lives of students each with a $1,000 grant that will help to improve their classrooms.

Winners were celebrated with a private lunch.

Winners include:

Melissa Finnan of Grant Sawyer Middle School

  • Finnan goes out of her way to make all students feel like family. She created a giving box with shampoo, soap, toothpaste and toothbrushes in her locker room so students could take anything they need at home. With the grant, she will continue to provide anything she can for her students to make them feel at home.

Stacye Tesh of Bozarth Elementary

  • Tesh was nominated for her unwavering dedication to her first- and second-grade autistic students. She is just one of 54 national board-certified teachers in Southern Nevada for special education, and continues to attend lectures and seminars online to further her knowledge about her practice. Tesh’s main goal with her students is to teach them basic behavior skills to join their peers in general education classes.

Shane Goffstein of Wayne Tanaka Elementary School

  • Goffstein encourages each of his first-grade students to realize their potential. He creates reading groups during the pandemic and focuses on improving his student’s different reading levels. He uses his personal funds to ensure that students have all the resources needed to succeed.

Sasha Jones of Jerome Mack Middle School

  • Jones runs an exceptional drama program for grades six through eight. In a year where being face to face with students was challenging, she went above and beyond the call of duty for her students. Her drama and anime club gained a ton of traction this year through interactive, virtual events like streaming movies, television shows, and “live performances” of other theater departments across the district. Jones even used her own money and resources for lighting, sound and décor for her theater space.

The credit union will accept new nominations around the start of the 2021/2022 hockey season.

###

Editor’s Note: Please CLICK HERE for pictures of all winners.

ABOUT AMERICA FIRST CREDIT UNION

Proudly celebrating 82 years of servicing members and a long-standing history, America First Credit Union has become one of the largest, most stable and most progressive credit unions in the country, and has remained a member-owned, not-for-profit cooperative financial institution. Today, America First has 126 locations, and is the eighth largest credit union in assets in the United States with over $15.6 billion, and the fifth largest credit union in membership in America with more than 1,184,290 members.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Nicole Cypers
America First Credit Union
801.827.8655
ncypers@americafirst.com

Jennifer López
R&R Partners
702.318.4203
jennifer.lopez@rrpartners.com

America First Credit Union, Young Automotive Group 12,500 Pantry Pack Challenge feeds hungry kids

America First Credit Union, America First Charitable Foundation, Young Caring for Our Young, and the Young Automotive Group assembled 500 pantry packs at America First Credit Union Operations Center, one of 24 assembly events happening in Utah and Idaho.

Riverdale, UT – May 18, 2021 – America First Credit Union, America First Charitable Foundation, Young Caring for Our Young, and the Young Automotive Group teamed up to assemble 12,500 pantry packs to feed hungry kids in Utah and Idaho. Throughout April and May, America First Credit Union and 24 Young Automotive Group locations in Utah and Idaho assembled 500 pantry packs each.

With one in five kids being food insecure, it means many don’t have anything to eat on weekend when school lunch and breakfast aren’t available. The pantry packs will be used by local schools and food services to sustain youth over the weekend.

“We don’t want see a single child go hungry over the weekend when they don’t have access to school food services,” said Thayne Shaffer, America First President and CEO. “We appreciate Young Automotive Group for being our partners in this great effort to make sure we’re giving those basic needs to those in our community who need the assistance.”

Pantry packs are prepackaged, gallon-sized zip lock bags with specific, easily purchased items. The packs contain six meals and four snacks. Each costs an average of $5, which means a child can be fed for less than someone would spend to buy a movie ticket.

Those wishing to donate can still do so at youngcaringforouryoung.org.

###

ABOUT AMERICA FIRST CREDIT UNION

Proudly celebrating 82 years of servicing members and a long-standing history, America First Credit Union has become one of the largest, most stable and most progressive credit unions in the country, and has remained a member-owned, not-for-profit cooperative financial institution. Today, America First has 126 locations, and is the eighth largest credit union in assets in the United States with over $15.6 billion, and the fifth largest credit union in membership in America with more than 1,184,290 members.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Nicole Cypers
America First Credit Union
801.827.8655
ncypers@americafirst.com

Kelsey Richardson
R&R Partners
801.913.9454
kelsey.richardson@rrpartners.com

America First’s FUNDamentals teacher grant contest.

America First Credit Union Announces Winners of $5,000 Teacher Grant Contest

RIVERDALE, Utah – May 14, 2021 America First Credit Union announced winners of the $5,000 grant awarded to ten K–12 teachers elevating youth financial literacy in Utah and Nevada. The grants will help fund projects for teachers.

To wrap up Teacher Appreciation Week, May 3–7, America First Credit Union dropped by West Point Jr. High to surprise Kristy Larsen with a congratulatory announcement.

The following teachers, who are using the free FUNDamentals financial literacy program in their classrooms, have received $500 grants: 

Utah

  • Jacquelynn Merritt Lowder, Belmont Elementary, Alpine School District
  • Mindi Barnes, Boulton, Davis School District
  • Megan Barton, Bountiful Jr. High School, Davis School District
  • Jesse Jones, Syracuse High School, Davis School District
  • Ashley Sawyer, Bluffridge Elementary, Davis School District
  • Kristy Larsen, West Point Jr. High, Davis School District
  • Monika Anderson, Quest Academy Charter School, Weber School District
  • Danielle Kingdon, North Davis Preparatory Academy 

Nevada

  • Savanna Brister, Amplus Academy
  • Adry Kewish, Amplus Academy

“America First Credit Union’s commitment to education is unwavering,” said Thayne Shaffer, president and CEO of America First. “We are delighted to celebrate teachers via our teacher grant contest and we will continue to make financial literacy easily accessible to educators and students.”

An emotional Larsen shared, “I love teaching and I love kids. For America First to give me this opportunity to spend money on my students and things they need is awesome. The FUNDamentals program has prepared lesson plans from America First. All I do is log in and download the hour and half lesson plans. It’s a great tool, especially for a teacher who is short on time.”

Teachers can request access to FUNDamentals by visiting www.education.americafirst.com.

Today’s grant awards are the latest in a series of actions that the credit union has taken to elevate youth financial literacy. In February, the credit union announced FUNDamentals, a customizable financial literacy program created for K–12 students and teachers. (CLICK HERE to read the announcement.) This free program empowers teachers and offers a customizable program, unlike many one-size-fits-all programming dictated by other providers.

###

ABOUT AMERICA FIRST CREDIT UNION

Proudly celebrating 82 years of servicing members and a long-standing history, America First Credit Union has become one of the largest, most stable and most progressive credit unions in the country, and has remained a member-owned, not-for-profit cooperative financial institution. Today, America First has 126 locations, and is the eighth largest credit union in assets in the United States with over $15.6 billion, and the fifth largest credit union in membership in America with more than 1,184,290 members.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Nicole Cypers
America First Credit Union
801.827.8655
ncypers@americafirst.com

Jennifer López
R&R Partners
702.318.4203
jennifer.lopez@rrpartners.com

America First Charitable Foundation Student Athlete Scholarship Recipients Awarded

High School Scholarship Program Wins National Cynopsis Sports Media Award For Programming Innovation

Thayne Shaffer
America First Credit Union President/CEO presents 24 Utah high school senior student-athletes with $500 scholarships each at a virtual ceremony held on April 22.

Riverdale, UT – May 6, 2021 – America First Credit Union recognized 24 Utah high school senior student-athletes with $500 scholarships, awarding $12,000 scholarships in total. The students were awarded during at a virtual ceremony on April 22. To date, the credit union has awarded more than $88,500 in scholarships to deserving student athletes.

“We’re excited to be presenting each of these deserving students with this recognition,” said Thayne Shaffer, President/CEO of America First Credit Union. “We want our students to be financially secure, and one way we fuel this is by encouraging higher education through the scholarships we give out each year. Congratulations to each one of these student athletes in all they’ve accomplished.”

Of the 24 honorees, 21 students had a GPA of 3.9 or higher with fourteen 4.0-students There were also three athletes in student government, nine team captains and 14 multi-sport athletes. Each of the students who were awarded were nominated by their school for their involvement in a sport, their 3.5 or higher-grade point average, and outstanding citizenship and community involvement.

In addition, this effort—in partnership with programming by KUTV/KJZZ/KMYU stations in Salt Lake City—was recently named as the national award recipient in the category for PROGRAMMING INNOVATION DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC by Cynopsis Media at their 2021 Sports Media Awards.

“It’s meaningful to win the award for our innovative efforts to highlight the competition in Utah, and to do so in a safe and impactful way for our community. We could have won this national honor without the support of our great partners, and especially out title sponsor America First Credit Union, who shares our vision of supporting students and communities in Utah,” said Kent Crawford, SVP Group Manager, Sinclair Broadcast Group.

Student Athlete Honorees include:

  • Sam Rencher – Farmington High School
  • Averi Hanny – Bingham High School
  • Abby Grundy – Herriman High School
  • Annie Watson – Skyridge High School
  • Josie Shepherd – American Fork High School
  • Peyton Rice – Olympus High School
  • Megan Jewell – Olympus High School
  • Cael Wightman – Bingham High School
  • Myriam Anderson – Ridgeline High School
  • Mason Kilgore – Davis High School
  • Makeili Ika – Lone Peak High School
  • Brandon Grover- Provo High School
  • Joshua Woolf – Bingham High School
  • Creed Thompson – Skyridge High School
  • Diya Rao – West High School
  • McKay Larsen – Corner Canyon High School
  • Mary Santiago – Wasatch High School
  • Reagan Kimball – Brighton High School
  • Austin Hallows – Salem Hills High School
  • Ben Boren – Highland High School
  • Andrew Harmon – American Fork High School
  • Marlee Lotaki – Lehi High School
  • Luke Johnson – Mtn Ridge High School
  • Paje Rasmussen – Corner Canyon High School

###

ABOUT AMERICA FIRST CREDIT UNION

Proudly celebrating 82 years of servicing members and a long-standing history, America First Credit Union has become one of the largest, most stable and most progressive credit unions in the country, and has remained a member-owned, not-for-profit cooperative financial institution. Today, America First has 126 locations, and is the eighth largest credit union in assets in the United States with over $15.6 billion, and the fifth largest credit union in membership in America with more than 1,184,290 members.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Nicole Cypers
America First Credit Union
801.827.8655
ncypers@americafirst.com

Kelsey Richardson
R&R Partners
801.913.9454
kelsey.richardson@rrpartners.com