RICHLAND, WASH. (October 21, 2025) ‒ Gesa, a leading credit union in the Pacific Northwest dedicated to driving meaningful change in the communities it serves, today announces the expansion of its High School Credit Union (HSCU) Program with the opening of its Stadium High School branch in Tacoma. To honor the grand opening, Gesa will host a week-long celebration featuring complimentary treats, fun giveaways, and financial trivia for students, educators, and members.
This marks Gesa’s second HSCU branch in partnership with Tacoma Public Schools, the first being at Mount Tahoma High School. It builds on Gesa’s long-standing support for the school district, including through the Tacoma Public Schools Affinity Debit Card, which supports Jobs 253, a district-wide initiative that offers meaningful employment opportunities for students across Foss High School, Lincoln High School, Mount Tahoma High School, Silas High School, and Stadium High School. This past August, Gesa awarded $20,000 to the district from funds generated through the card.
“I truly value this access for our students,” said Shannon Marshall, Principal at Stadium High School. “Caitlin Back, our CTE teacher, brings a professional banking background, and I worked at Washington Mutual during college and for several years into my teaching career. I believe that familiarity with—and access to—financial institutions is essential for our students’ long-term success.
As part of the program, a was selected for a paid internship to oversee the day-to-day operations of the branch. Any student at Stadium High School can now visit the branch and open a Gesa checking or savings account, as well as manage transactions, such as deposits and withdrawals, during designated hours of the school day.
“We’re thrilled to continue our partnership with Tacoma Public Schools to open the new Stadium High School branch,” said Brandon Allison, Assistant Vice President of Community Impact at Gesa Credit Union. “Every time I meet with students, I’m blown away by their curiosity, drive, and how they grow as leaders. They bring fresh ideas, support one another, and take real ownership of this program. It’s incredibly rewarding to see how this experience helps them turn what they learn in the classroom into career-ready skills.”
Gesa’s High School Credit Union Program has provided hands-on, real-life financial industry experience for high school students since 2000. In 2022, the program made history by becoming the first Financial Sector Career Launch endorsed program in the State of Washington through Career Connect Washington. The Career Launch program combines meaningful, high-quality, on-the-job experience with classroom learning to ensure Washington students are college and career ready.
For a full list of Gesa’s High School branch locations, or to learn more about the High School Credit Union Program visit https://www.gesa.com/category/high-school-credit-unions/.