Beginning Tuesday, April 3 and continuing for three weeks, the Community Center will host a “Money Smart” series for the region’s young adults.

The program is provided by Bath Savings. The series is in response to a request from Lisa Burnham, who described herself as “a concerned community member.”

“There’s so much emphasis on the computer age,” Burnham explained to the Boothbay Register. “But young people aren’t being taught some of the most important life skills – like how to set up a budget to plan for unexpected expenses or to save for a down payment. As a result, their credit is destroyed before they even know what happened.”

Burnham reached out to Community Center director Jane Good about creating a program to provide the area’s young adults with this valuable information. “Because it offers so many programs for area residents, the Community Center seemed to be the right place for this to happen,” Burnham said.

Good was happy to respond to the request. “We are thrilled to mix generations here and see the Center used in the evening,” she said.

Linda Anderson, vice president and branch manager for Bath Savings, eagerly responded to the request when Good contacted her.  “We offer several programs and the bank encourages us to get out into the community,” she said.

Dan Hallinan, a credit analyst in commercial lending for the bank, will serve as an instructor along with Anderson. “We often see young adults who are experiencing difficulty with budgeting and credit, and they also need help to understand the basics of new technology, like mobile phone banking,” he said.

The Money Smart program consists of four sessions, each devoted to a specific financial area. “Check it out” will cover checking accounts, electronic banking and credit cards. “Setting financial goals” covers budgeting, income and related information. “Pay yourself first” will teach the basics of saving money and “borrowing basics” will help young adults learn about using credit, loan applications and credit-related matters.

The program is for high school seniors and young adults. It will be held between 5:30 and 7 p.m. Tuesday April 3, 10, 17 and 24 at the Community Center. Food will be served to participants. Those wishing to attend are asked to register before classes begin by calling the Community Center at 633-9876.