A basketball program is teaming up with a credit union, and no, it’s not just to sponsor new jerseys.
Athletech Academy, a Detroit-based organization that’s been turning sports into a launchpad for career skills, just announced a partnership with Michigan State University Federal Credit Union (MSUFCU). The goal? Teaching Detroit kids about money management in a way that doesn’t make their eyes glaze over—by connecting it to something they actually care about: sports.
More Than Just Layups and Free Throws
If you’re picturing a stuffy financial literacy class wedged between basketball drills, think again. Athletech Academy has built its entire approach around a simple idea: young people pay attention to sports, so why not use that engagement to teach them skills they’ll actually need in life?
“Sport captures a young person’s attention—but it’s what we teach through sport that has the power to change a life,” said Chloe Barnes-Henderson, Founder and Executive Director of Athletech Academy. “By connecting money management, decision-making, and long-term planning to the sports experiences students already know and love, we’re making learning more relevant, engaging, and impactful.”
Translation: Instead of lecturing teenagers about compound interest while they stare at the clock, Athletech Academy weaves financial concepts into interactive experiences that don’t feel like homework.
What Students Will Actually Learn
Starting this fall and running through the 2026-2027 academic year, MSUFCU will serve as Athletech Academy’s Official Financial Empowerment Partner. Together, they’re rolling out three hands-on learning experiences that cover the financial basics everyone wishes they’d learned in high school:
- Budgeting and saving (because your paycheck disappears faster than you think)
- Banking fundamentals (what’s a routing number, anyway?)
- Financial decision-making (wants vs. needs, the eternal struggle)
- Identity theft and fraud prevention (yes, it can happen to you)
- Real-world costs of independent living (spoiler: everything is expensive)
The key difference? These aren’t your standard sit-and-listen sessions. Students will work through simulations, tackle real-life scenarios, and collaborate on activities that mirror actual financial challenges they’ll face as adults.
Building Skills for the Future Economy
Athletech Academy has always been about more than sports. The organization focuses on preparing Detroit youth for what they call “future-ready” careers—the kind that exist in our increasingly tech-driven world. That means teaching AI literacy, leadership, career readiness, and those hard-to-define-but-absolutely-essential human skills alongside financial empowerment.
Because here’s the thing: you can be brilliant at your job and still struggle financially if no one ever taught you how money actually works.
“Financial confidence creates opportunity,” said Rebecca Surian, Vice President of University Relations at MSUFCU. “We’re excited to partner with Athletech Academy to help students develop the knowledge, habits, and decision-making skills that support lifelong success.”
Why This Partnership Matters
Detroit students face real economic challenges, and generic financial education programs often miss the mark. By partnering with an organization that already has students’ trust and attention, MSUFCU is betting on a more effective approach—one that meets young people where they are rather than expecting them to show up for another boring required class.
For Athletech Academy, the partnership strengthens their ability to deliver what they call “high-impact learning experiences.” It’s part of their broader mission to prepare students not just for graduation day, but for meaningful careers and financial stability in an economy that’s changing faster than ever.
As Barnes-Henderson put it, they’re equipping Detroit’s next generation “with the confidence to build brighter futures.” And in a city that’s seen its share of economic ups and downs, that’s not just a nice soundbite—it’s an investment that could genuinely change lives.
Student registration details and specific program dates will be announced in the coming months. In the meantime, it’s refreshing to see a partnership that recognizes a simple truth: the best way to teach young people important skills is to make them actually interesting.