At A Glance
Location: Guam
FHLB Des Moines Member: Bank of Guam
The Impact: Over 4,000 teens come together each year to participate in the L.I.F.E Teen Expo. Through the multiple workshops, events and small-group activities, this highly diverse group learns from each other, shares their unique perspectives and demonstrates great camaraderie.
The Need: The Bank of Guam hosts regular financial empowerment events across the island, which draws a significant number of teens looking to enhance their skills in this area. Bank leaders continued to listen to these teens ask for additional resources for professional coaching, life skills and connection with their peers. Determined to help fill this need, the Bank of Guam organized the first L.I.F.E Teen Expo in 2017.
The Results: The program has helped participants fulfill over 200 service-learning hours as part of their graduation requirements. Together with the expo, this year’s program has also provided over financial empowerment classes (over 200 students), financial aid workshops (attended by over 100 students) and helped dozens of teens receive drivers’ license preparation.
The Key Players: The Bank of Guam, as well as dozens of student organizers and volunteers, and hundreds of local businesses, exhibitors and sponsors.
The Full Story
The island of Guam is home to distinct ethnic groups with unique, vibrant traditions and cultures. Cultivating a sense of inclusion and connectedness among youth is an ongoing challenge, yet the Bank of Guam was determined to support and commit to the next generation of leaders.
Part of the Bank's signature Corporate Social Responsibility mission is outreach to teens, particularly at-risk teens. In 2017, Bank leadership saw an opportunity to provide a safe, enriching environment for teens across the island to come together through the L.I.F.E Expo.
With that purpose, Bank of Guam reached out to the student community and asked them what resources they needed and required to complete high school successfully and prepare for life after graduation. In collaboration with the Bank, academic, nonprofit, corporate and military communities organized interactive displays and workshops to meet those needs.
Teens participate in financial literacy and education workshops, talent shows, organizational training, entrepreneurship classes, project management training, outreach opportunities and volunteering. They were also able to earn Service Learning Hours, which are required for graduation, and received hands-on experience marketing and budgeting for popup outlets, gaining valuable work experience and earning money from their product sales.
L.I.F.E Expo is the only teen outreach program encompassing all of Guam. Over 4,000 teens and 200 volunteers participated in the 2019 expo, and the Bank of Guam continues to support teen programming and outreach. The level of participation and excitement with this often difficult-to-reach demographic further reinforces the continued need for this type of commitment and programming in the island community.