The JPMorgan Chase Harlem Community Branch hosted students from WHEELS, a NYC Outward Bound School in Washington Heights, for a financial literacy workshop on Friday, Jan. 31. The newly renovated Harlem Community Branch is the first space of its kind in the nation, and designed to be a resource to local small businesses and community members, as well as an education hub and an innovation lab for new tech products, some which will be beta tested in Harlem.
The financial literacy workshop served as a capstone for a week-long intensive course at WHEELS called “What’s the Plan?” which focused on real life skills students need to succeed after high school. After a tour of the Community Branch and a fun round of banking trivia, the students heard from two members of the Chase team on the basics of banking, debt management, building credit, preventing fraud and investing in stocks.
The Chase team reiterated that the Community Branch functions as a safe space where students and families can come and ask any questions they might have about finances — helping to erase the misconception that many young people have of banking as a complicated or confusing process. In addition to Friday’s financial literacy workshop, JPMorgan Chase has partnered with NYC Outward Bound Schools over the past year to offer one-on-one writing support to WHEELS students.
NYC Outward Bound Schools operates a highly successful citywide network of public schools that is built upon its unique educational approach — which joins together demanding and engaging learning with an emphasis on community and character. NYC Outward Bound’s 13 Network Schools use the national EL Education model, which is rooted in Outward Bound, and also feature intensive supports around college access and preparation, as well as leadership and character-building programming for students.
If you’re interested in forming a partnership with NYC Outward Bound Schools, visit our corporate engagement page for more information.