New on-campus resource gives students hands-on opportunities to build financial knowledge, confidence and real-world skills
UPPER ST. CLAIR, PA – September 21, 2026 – Upper St. Clair High School and Clearview Federal Credit Union have opened a new Financial Empowerment Center, an on-campus resource designed to give students ongoing access to financial education, personalized guidance and real-world experiences that can help prepare them for life beyond graduation.
The center was officially unveiled during a ribbon-cutting ceremony on September 17, followed by an open house that gave students and families their first look at the new space.
The Financial Empowerment Center is the result of a three-year collaboration between Clearview and Upper St. Clair to create something beyond a traditional school-based credit union branch. From exploring gaps in financial knowledge to providing input on the physical space and programs that will be offered within it, students played an active role in bringing the Center from idea to reality.
“The Financial Empowerment Center empowers our high school students to master real-world money management – like budgeting, saving, and building credit – while cultivating essential career skills like communication, teamwork, and problem-solving,” Dr. Cara Senger, USCHS principal, said. “This initiative equips students with the financial literacy and transferable soft skills required to make smart financial decisions and succeed in any future career.”
A Center Shaped by Students
As the concept for the Financial Empowerment Center took shape, students in Upper St. Clair High School’s STEAM Innovation & Consulting class participated in a semester-long collaboration with Clearview to explore gaps in financial knowledge, envision the ideal school-based financial center, conduct market analysis and consider potential financial solutions. Working alongside Clearview mentors in member experience, marketing, digital solutions and financial wellness, students provided input that helped shape the Center’s development.
That collaboration continued into the planning and design process, with Clearview’s marketing team partnering with a student interior design class to gather feedback on the space from a student perspective. Those concepts helped inform the Center’s overall design, while input from other areas helped shape the programs that will be offered within it.
“From the beginning, we wanted this to be more than a traditional school based-credit union branch. We wanted to create a space where students could engage with their finances, ask questions and better prepare for their future,” said Erin Forrester, assistant vice president, public relations & community impact at Clearview Federal Credit Union. “What makes the Financial Empowerment Center especially meaningful is that students helped shape it. Their input throughout the process helped us create a space and programming that reflect their perspectives and the true collaboration behind this partnership.”
Bringing Financial Guidance into the School Day
Now open within Upper St. Clair High School, the center will be staffed by a member of the Clearview team four days each week, providing students with an opportunity to ask real-life financial questions and receive guidance in a comfortable, school-based setting. Students also will be able to participate in interactive events and activities focused on financial and life skills and may have the opportunity to serve as student employees, helping their peers navigate financial topics.
Building Financial Skills at Every Stage
The center expands an existing partnership between Upper St. Clair and Clearview focused on financial education. Clearview has partnered with the district for several years to host an annual Financial Reality Fair for all Upper St. Clair juniors, where students use the starting salary of a career of their choice to build a realistic budget and navigate expenses ranging from housing and transportation to food, entertainment and other lifestyle choices.
Beginning with the 2026-27 school year, all USCHS juniors are also required to complete the school’s Personal Finance course covering topics including budgeting, saving, banking, compound interest, retirement planning, credit cards, loans, the stock market and product profitability.
Under the leadership of Nikki Colella, business/practical arts department chair, the high school also expanded its business education offerings. Courses include Introduction to Accounting, College in High School Marketing in an Interconnected World, Advanced Placement Business with Personal Finance and Personal Finance.
The district’s emphasis on financial literacy begins well before students reach high school through its Consuming and Producing Successfully (CAPS) expressive arts curriculum in grades 5-8, which introduces students to financial literacy, economics, business management, entrepreneurship and career readiness through hands-on experiences including Junior Achievement’s JA BizTown and the Fort Couch marketplace.
Together, these experiences create opportunities for students to apply financial concepts in real-world settings. The new Financial Empowerment Center adds an ongoing, school-based resource where students can build the knowledge, confidence and practical skills needed to become informed consumers, responsible financial decision-makers and successful producers in their communities.
Financial Empowerment Center ribbon cutting at Upper St. Clair High School.
Additional images available here.
About Clearview Federal Credit Union
Clearview Federal Credit Union has been in operation since 1953 and serves over 141,000 members with reported assets valued at more than $2.1 billion as of August 2026. Recognized as one of America's Best Regional Credit Unions 2025 by Newsweek, Clearview is committed to building a financially empowered community by helping individuals, families, and businesses make confident financial decisions through personalized financial solutions, trusted guidance, and accessible support. Membership is open to individuals throughout the communities Clearview serves, as well as immediate family members of current members. Clearview Federal Credit Union is federally insured by the National Credit Union Administration and is an Equal Housing Lender. For more information, visit clearviewfcu.org.
About Upper St. Clair School District
The Upper St. Clair School District serves more than 4,000 students across six schools, each of which has been recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School. With a longstanding tradition of excellence in academics, the arts and athletics, the district continues to earn local, regional and national recognition for its achievements.
The district’s commitment to academic excellence, including its K-12 International Baccalaureate program, attracts families from around the world and contributes to a vibrant, diverse school community. More than 40 different home languages are spoken among students and families throughout the district, enriching the educational experience and broadening perspectives across its schools.