A+ Federal Credit Union (A+FCU) has partnered with the Scouting America Capitol Area Council since 2010 to help Scouts earn the Personal Management Merit Badge, a key requirement for reaching Eagle Scout rank.
The partnership features an educational program managed by the A+ Community Education team. The initiative uses interactive webinars and an online classroom to deliver financial education, allowing Scouts to interact directly with industry professionals. Topics covered include credit and debt, saving and investing, insurance and risk management, goal setting, and career exploration.
The curriculum covers all ten requirements of the merit badge through six live webinars that incorporate videos, storytelling, polls, Q&A sessions, and hands-on activities. One element is a 13-week budgeting exercise where Scouts create weekly budgets, track their income and expenses, and review budget variances.
“It helped him think of and learn about a lot of topics (e.g. savings to insurance to planning) which I think he heard about but never really had structured instruction,” said Colin L., parent of a recent merit badge recipient. While not mandatory, parents are encouraged to attend these sessions alongside their children to facilitate continued discussion at home.
A+FCU states that building strong financial skills early helps young people gain knowledge necessary for long-term financial well-being. Since beginning this collaboration with Scouting America Capitol Area Council, A+FCU reports having assisted more than 1,280 Scouts in earning the Personal Management Merit Badge.
Sessions are available year-round in spring, summer, and fall. More information about the program or membership opportunities can be found on A+FCU’s Scouting America webpage or by contacting communityeducation@aplusfcu.org or calling 512.533.4390.
Founded in 1949 by Austin teachers, A+ Federal Credit Union now serves over 190,600 members through 22 branches across the area from its headquarters at 6420 E. US 290 SVRD in Austin.
