For the fourth consecutive year, Weltman, Weinberg & Reis Co., L.P.A. (WWR) joined efforts with ACA International (The Association of Credit and Collection Professionals) during September 18-22, 2006 for National Credit Education Week (NCEW). NCEW is a public service campaign that aspires to educate consumers about the importance of credit and to help students that will soon be facing new financial responsibilities to understand the credit system and how to use it wisely.
With credit debt in America steadily growing, WWR feels it is important to promote personal finance management through more widespread credit education. The firm conducted two activities this year to promote NCEW. This years? activities revolved around the theme ?Play Your Cards Right: Don?t Gamble With Your Credit,? which focused on understanding the rules of the modern credit system in order to use it as a positive tool in accomplishing financial goals.
First, WWR sponsored a scholarship contest for graduating high school seniors from public high schools. The contest included schools located near the firm?s eight primary offices, including Burlington (NJ), Chicago, Cincinnati, Columbus, Cleveland, Detroit, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. Scholarship applicants were asked to design a mock advertisement and write a short essay emphasizing the importance of credit education. The firm received nearly 40 submissions and awarded seven college scholarships worth $500 each.
In addition, WWR coordinated credit education presentations for high school students in Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Detroit and northern Kentucky. Twelve attorneys from various WWR offices presented valuable information to over 1190 high school students at the following schools:
- Chicago: Alan B. Shephard H.S., Eisenhower H.S and Simpson H.S.
- Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky: Clark Montessori H.S. and Highlands H.S
- Cleveland: Beachwood H.S., Cleveland Central Catholic H.S., Hebrew Academy of Cleveland, Lincoln West H.S. and Westlake H.S.
- Columbus: Westerville-South H.S.
- Detroit: Divine Child H.S., Troy H.S. and Walled Lake Western H.S.