BRANCH BUSINESS.

Byline: Joe Mosley The Register-Guard

SPRINGFIELD - Financial service is the new daily special to be had in Thurston High School's cafeteria.

Northwest Community Credit Union opened its latest branch Monday - a student-run counter that will operate during the 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. lunch hours each school day, joining just a handful of similar on-campus banking offices around the state.

"It's actually a great service for our students," said Thurston Principal Doug Jantzi, who became the branch's first customer when he opened an account just after Monday's ribbon-cutting.

Jantzi said the credit union's arrival on campus also will have the side benefit of alleviating what has been a minor annoyance for administrators and staff - "the stream of students always trying to make change" in the school office.

Instead, students will have access to a full range of banking services - from check-cashing and account access to parent-approved loans - in the small office operated largely by four students who were selected by the credit union for training and hired as part-time workers.

"We were in Accounting Two, and there were only six of us in there," said Shannon Marvin as she worked the counter Monday. "Four of us are seniors, so they asked us."

Working with Marvin - and under the supervision of a credit union employee - will be fellow seniors Alesia Schluchebier, Gabe Jackson and Robert Cristner.

Credit union officials said they hope to contribute to students' financial education, and maybe gain some name recognition among the young adults. But the branch office is not expected to be a money-maker.

"If it is, it will be entirely accidental," said Kent White, the credit union's vice president for marketing. "The main purpose behind this is education and to provide a real needed service."

The office was opened with equipment purchased by the credit union or donated by local businesses. No funding for the operation will come from the Springfield School District.

Eugene's Sheldon High School became the first local high school with on-campus banking when Selco Credit Union opened a mini-branch there in May 2002. A couple of other on-campus bank or credit union offices operate in the Portland area and in Southern Oregon. But Northwest Community Credit Union would like to follow up on Monday's opening with a second student branch next year at Springfield High School.

"We'd like to see it be a trend," said Jim Craft, manager of the credit union's main Springfield branch, which oversees the Thurston operation.

CAPTION(S):

The Northwest Community Credit Union at Thurston High gives school administrators and staff a welcome break from making change for students.