Investments pay off

Senior Brian Drewry rummages through his backpack as he scrambles to locate the dollar bills he set aside for lunch. Grumbling at the conclusion of his unsuccessful search, Drewry prepares to face the rest of his day without food until he realizes a solution to his lunchtime dilemma.

After rushing down the hallway toward a small door tucked between the financial and main offices, he quickly withdraws enough money to suit his lunchtime needs.

Like about 200 other Blazers with accounts, Drewry has discovered the benefits of the Blair branch of the Montgomery County Teachers Federal Credit Union (MCT), an organization unknown to many students.

Although the MCT is a feature new to Blair this year, the program was founded in 1950 to provide financial services to employees of the Montgomery County Public School System.

Business resource teacher Zennie Pinckney, sponsor of Blair's branch, explains that the MCT is mostly student-run and is open during lunch periods on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

That's when head bank teller, senior Jonathan Bogan, stands at the bank's window as he enthusiastically boasts of the services that the MCT provides for the Blair community.

He explains that students and teachers can open an account with a deposit of $5, withdraw up to $20 each day and invest an unlimited amount of money in their account.

Pinckney says that many members take advantage of this restriction-free policy on investments. In fact, she once saw a customer deposit $1,315 in cash in an account.

In addition to withdrawing and investing money, Bogan says, students may also open checking accounts or obtain credit cards if they either are at least 18 years old or have parental permission.

Junior Joanna Limones, who opened an account in January, says that the conveniences associated with the MCT inspired her to become a member. "Once I got a job, it was so much easier for me to drop my check off during lunch than make a separate trip to the bank where the lines are always longer," she explains. "Plus, this is a unique feature that Blair offers, so I thought I should take advantage of it."

Pinckney believes that the MCT offers customers more than just financial convenience. "The organization gives students the opportunity to save money and practice financial management," she says.

Bogan adds that the MCT benefits the three tellers who volunteer every week to man the bank during lunchtime. As a teller, Bogan must answer customer's questions, process transactions and make sure that all the money is accounted for by the end of the period.

Although he admits that his job is no simple task, Bogan expresses great support for the branch. "When I was offered the job I thought, why not? A Credit Union at Blair sounds like a good idea to me!" he says.