Press Release

(Pictured above: First Financial’s Assistant VP of Business Development, Karryne MacLean, First Financial’s VP of Marketing & Business Development, and First Financial’s President/CEO).

FREEHOLD, N.J. – Manalapan Englishtown Middle School seventh grade social studies teacher, Karryne MacLean, was surprised by members of the First Financial Foundation with an Erma Dorrer classroom grant for the 2018-2019 school year.

MacLean submitted a grant application to purchase the My Classroom Economy program. The program is designed to teach students financial responsibility in an engaging and fun way. My Classroom Economy will help students take part in a simulation of a real-world economic activity, learn the value of a paycheck, learn how to budget spending, pay bills, and balance bank accounts, discover the importance of saving money, and find out about paying taxes to the federal and state government.

“My students are what many middle schoolers are – always asking, Why do I need to learn this?” said MacLean. “They want to learn something they can use, something that matters. They are very bright and passionate. With this program, students will learn about economics and will take these skills with them to become successful adults. They will come to appreciate the value of a dollar and see the impact of saving and spending money wisely.”

(Pictured above: Karryne MacLean with her principal and department supervisor).

Since First Financial began with a group of Asbury Park schoolteachers back in 1936, the credit union has not forgotten its educational roots. That is why its Foundation offered current Monmouth and Ocean County educators six (6) classroom grants to use at their schools for the 2018-2019 school year.

“Education has and always will be a pivotal piece of our organization, and we’re delighted to be able to help our local educators enhance their classroom experience,” noted First Financial President & CEO, Issa Stephan.

Stephan also noted that the Foundation committee had a tough job of choosing just six winning teachers out of the numerous applications received this year. “We received dozens of heart warming essays from educators hoping to use the grant money to implement or maintain a variety of creative programs in their schools such as flexible seating, virtual reality glasses, book stands and shelving, new classroom cabinets, and interactive books and games – to name a few,” said Stephan. “We wish we were able to reward each and every one of our participants, and after extremely careful consideration we selected the six classrooms in which we felt the grant money would have the largest impact.”