CAMBRIA COUNTY, Pa. (WJAC) — It's something everyone has to learn how to do eventually: properly manage money. But it's something that many don't learn until they're out of school or on their own.

Conemaugh Valley High School has been working with nonprofit The Challenge Program for 10 years to give students the opportunity to get a handle on their finances and prepare them for the workforce.

Students learn money management by gaining hands-on experience running their own credit union kiosk, the Bird Cage, at the school.

The Challenge Program works to pair schools in West Central Pennsylvania, like Conemaugh Valley, with local businesses. G.A.P. Federal Credit Union in Johnstown sponsors the Bird Cage through the partnership and provides students with internship opportunities.

"I’ve learned how to work with people and multitask with balancing their accounts and doing different transactions while also being personable," said Samuel Neisner, a senior at Conemaugh Valley.

Students and teachers can create their own accounts at the Bird Cage and deposit paychecks or take out money. It teaches students running the credit union the value of a dollar, while giving them a jump-start on life after school.

"I went to school here, I did the same thing that they did and then I took the internship after school. And then I've been working at G.A.P. ever since for the past eight years," said Lacey Christ, a former student at Conemaugh Valley.

Through this partnership, the Challenge Program says 10 students have been hired to work at G.A.P. over the years.

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