LIVE OAK, Texas (June 16, 2026) — Nineteen high school juniors and seniors successfully completed RBFCU’s week-long Youth Ambassador Program, building a strong foundation in personal finance while preparing for life beyond graduation.

Through hands-on learning and real-world money management experiences, students gained practical financial skills, valuable insights and connections to support their educational and career journeys. Each participant also received $1,000 scholarships, helping jumpstart their path toward financial independence.

“This program continues to attract students eager to learn and build a strong foundation in personal finance,” said RBFCU Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Sonya McDonald. “RBFCU remains committed to being a trusted financial friend the community can rely on to help develop these essential skills.”

The RBFCU Youth Ambassador Program, formerly known as the RBFCU Youth Advisory Council, launched during the 2010–2011 school year with a mission to equip students in our community with financial services acumen, along with a host of life and career skills to set them up for success.

Over the past 16 years, 211 students have completed the program, resulting in $116,250 in scholarships. The program is led by the award-winning RBFCU Financial Literacy Team's Jennifer Crawford, Michelle Herrera and Sally Hollingsworth.

”Our goal is to connect financial concepts to real-life situations students will face after graduation,” said Financial Literacy Manager Jennifer Crawford. “It’s rewarding to see them grow in confidence as they apply what they’ve learned and begin thinking about their financial futures.“

Congratulations to our 2026 RBFCU Youth Ambassadors:

• Jose-Giovanni Calderon Arango
• Marco Gonzalez-Barbozal
• Ethan Braxton
• Kynadi Britt
• Xavier Castellon
• Miguel Castro
• Alaya Ceaser
• Raelyn Gonzales
• Adiba Habib
• Darshan Sathish Kumar
• Sritha Madduri
• Nichole Middleton
• Michael Naranjo
• Kristiana Pena
• Abram Ramirez
• Marianna Robledo
• Brent Smith
• Alyssa Wagner
• Addison Watts