I got into a Twitter conversation the other day with Ohio credit union @DirectionsCU about the importance of financial education for teens.

As it turns out, the CU spent more than 300 hours in 2009 educating nearly 3,000 participants from children to senior citizens on the ways and means of financial responsibility.

The CU’s volunteer initiative comes at a time when legislatures – including its own Ohio General Assembly – are mandating financial education for public high school students.

While they require a significant time and resources investment, financial education projects like those led by Directions CU benefit a community FI in at least two important ways.

First, when guided by a relevant curriculum, the programs boost the financial savvy of current and potential customers, putting the FI in a better position to enjoy a responsible customer base.

Second, the initiatives provide outstanding public relations opportunities for the hosting FI.

Local news media covering the financial crisis are looking for local angles on this national story. And FIs leading their communities’ improvement can serve as ideal sources for these news outlets.

According to @DirectionsCU, their local reporters were all over the story, covering the CU’s education initiatives in both print and broadcast media.

It’s a classic win-win for the FI and its community.