Colleen Barry will graduate from West Genesee High School and is headed to Le Moyne College in Syracuse, NY! Below are some of her extensive accomplishments and activities throughout her time in high school.

  • High Honor Roll (9-12)
  • Business Honor Society (10-12)
  • National Honor Society (11-12)
  • Unsung Hero (10-12)
  • Coaches Award for Volleyball
  • Model for the Future
  • Girls Varsity Lacrosse Manager
  • Class of 2024 Treasurer
  • Girls Varsity Volleyball (9-12)
  • Girls Varsity Basketball (10-12)
  • John Pepper Lacrosse Tournament
  • Francis Academy of Irish Dance

We asked Colleen what value she sees in the credit union’s philosophy of “people helping people.” She astutely wrote, “Credit Unions have both an economic and social value. It’s common for a credit union like MoneyFCU to treat you more like a family than a customer at regular banks…I have been a member of MoneyFCU since I was three years old…I still feel welcomed as they are holding out their open arms to help me with any questions or concerns I may have with banking.”

“Credit Unions and For Profit Banks…are very different with how they have to allocate their profit. For Profit Banks have obligations to not only pay taxes, but also return profits to their shareholders. Credit Unions on the other hand don’t have to pay taxes and are able to return more of their profits to their member owners. As Credit Unions are owned by their members, they are able to foster relationships with their member owners rather than customers at a bank. That relationship difference is felt at MoneyFCU. From the time you have your Monkey Kids account to your first job is what makes Credit Unions so much like family. At the end of the Cheers chorus the lyrics ring “They are so glad you came.” This is how I feel walking out of MoneyFCU. I don’t feel judged or looked at weirdly with the things I bring to the table. The true value of a credit union is support and fostering a community together one “drink” at a time; so cheers to knowing that you will always have people helping people out.”

This is 100% true and what makes credit unions different. Our focus is not on the bottom line, but on who we serve.

Colleen actually won two scholarships with her one application – one from Money FCU, and another from the New York Credit Union Association’s statewide competition! Students from across New York state, from 55 different credit unions, competed to win additional scholarship money from the Association directly. We commend Colleen on her impressive accomplishments and can’t wait to see what her exciting future brings!