ARLINGTON, Texas – New student-created artwork has been selected for debit cards offered by Texas Trust Credit Union that have generated significant revenue for local schools.
The Spirit Debit Rewards program has paid out $840,905 since the inception of the Spirit Debit Reward cards, which benefit schools in five school districts. The schools receive a monthly check for the money earned, which they can spend on student and teacher needs as each school deems necessary. The cards pay 10 cents each time a Spirit card is used.
Most recently the artwork of high school students Traeveon Reese and Martha Estrada will soon appear in the wallets of thousands of debit cardholders after their designs were chosen for their respective high school’s cards. The new card designs were selected by a combination of a panel of judges and a Facebook poll.
Reese, a senior at DeSoto High School, received top honors for his design, chosen from among 27 entries and receiving 43,128 Facebook votes. Estrada’s artwork, which received nearly 130,000 Facebook votes for the Cedar Hill High School junior, was one of 50 entries from students at her school.
Cedar Hill High School has received more than $155,000 through Texas Trust as an inaugural member of the Spirit Debit Reward program, which launched in 2011. DeSoto High School has earned $16,000 since joining the program in June 2013
The two students each received a $250 gift card from Texas Trust and toured the credit union's marketing department, where they received hands-on training in how to develop a marketing idea into a campaign.
“The Spirit Debit Reward card gives our local schools a tool to raise money without asking students to go door-to-door selling stuff,” said Jim Minge, CEO of Texas Trust Credit Union. “Because the card is designed by a student, it is more meaningful to cardholders, who often have a direct connection to the school.”