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VyStar Invests in St. Johns

By Jay Stelle

In this age of budget cuts and decreased educational funding, a local credit union emerges as an educational leader in North Florida.  VyStar Credit Union, headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, has partnered with the St. Johns and Clay County school districts to support career academies and financial education.  VyStar Credit Union has a rich history of financial and community service to people that began in 1952.  VyStar has become one of the largest financial institutions in Northeast Florida and among credit unions today.

In 2007, the value of VyStar's investment at Bartram Trail High School in St. Johns County exceeded $100,000 and allowed the school district to open their first student-run credit union. The “Bear Branch” became the crown jewel of the Academy of Business and Finance.  In exchange for the incredible partnership between the St. Johns County School District and VyStar Credit Union, the school district gave VyStar naming rights to the academy which became the VyStar Academy of Business and Finance.  Bartram Trail students and staff were able to utilize the credit union during schools hours for deposits and withdrawals and all of their banking needs.  The success of the Bartram Trail branch prompted VyStar to open two other student-run branches in 2008 at Pedro Menendez High School in St. Augustine and Fleming Island High School in Orange Park.

Thirty-five students were selected from Bartram Trail, Pedro Menendez and Fleming Island high schools’ business and finance academies to complete a 10-week paid summer training program.  Academy students spent time at the VyStar corporate headquarters learning company policy and procedures, ethics and corporate values.  Once completed, the students were then placed in several branches throughout the region including the Julington Creek, Mandarin, Palatka and St. Augustine locations to gain the practical hands-on training. The 10-week program was created, supported, staffed and funded by VyStar Credit Union.

Students from any St. Johns County High School can select to attend any career academy offered in the school district regardless of attendance zone.  In 2008, over 33% of St. Johns County high school students were enrolled in academies.  Due to wonderful partnerships and an aggressive marketing plan, over 43% of students are registered in career academies for 2009-10.  St. Johns County has 15 career academies in 7 high schools.  Five academies have corporate or foundation sponsors that have naming rights.

Jay Steele, St. Johns County Director for Career Education, says “Partners such as VyStar Credit Union bring such value to our career academies by providing real-world training and experiences for students.  These types of partnerships allow the students to gain valuable experience that will transcend into college and their future careers”. 

For more information on career academies, visit www.stjohns.k12.fl.us/academies

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