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DOWAGIAC — Dowagiac Area FCU stepped up to make partial or full remote learning in the wake of COVID-19 easier.

Thanks to their sponsorship, more than 1,480 students and teachers at 15 schools in Cass County will have free access to Banzai. Banzai is an award-winning online financial literacy program and content library of articles, calculators and personalized coaches. All of these resources are available to students at home or in the classroom via any device that can access the internet.

“Banzai is a web-based financial literacy program. Kids get their own accounts, and they work through assignments that are based on real life,” said Morgan Vandagriff, co-founder of Banzai. “But because Dowagiac Area FCU is sponsoring it, local schools get it for free. More than ever, it’s important that kids develop sound financial skills to prepare them for the real world, and Dowagiac Area FCU realizes that, and they’re doing something about it.”

Banzai content builds a foundation of practical knowledge and gives students the tools to create a sound financial future. While students learn, teachers can easily monitor and grade their progress remotely. After finishing Banzai, students will know how to track where their money is and what it’s for, recognize financial trade-offs, build a budget, and more. At a time when many are facing unprecedented financial challenges, these lessons are invaluable. The Banzai resources are available at dowagiac.teachbanzai.com.

For two years, Dowagiac Area FCU has worked with Banzai to build financial literacy in the Cass County community by investing time, money, industry experience, and a variety of credit union resources. Beyond the Banzai library, Dowagiac Area FCU also offers virtual or in-classroom presentations from local experts on timely topics.

Banzai resources are used by more than 72,000 teachers across the U.S. The courses align with Michigan’s state curriculum requirements, making the program a fun way for students to gain vital financial literacy skills.

Teachers interested in using the Banzai program with their class can visit

dowagiac.teachbanzai.com or call 888-8-BANZAI.

For more information about Banzai, visit teachbanzai.com.