ēCO Credit Union has a strong commitment to the communities where our members live, work, and play. We are excited to continue the #eCOmmunity program in 2022. We are proud to recognize those who go above and beyond for their community through the #eCOmmunity initiative.
Each month, members of the community who embody the credit union philosophy of “People Helping People” are nominated by ēCO employees to be “Credit Unioned.”
Ana Spratlin, Alabaster Branch Manager, nominated Keyla Handley to be “Credit Unioned” for March. She said, “Keyla is making such a difference in our communities and the lives of students every day. She pours her heart into helping students become the best versions of themselves and helping them create a path leading to a successful future.”
Keyla Handley is a Career Coach for Shelby
County Schools. She covers Calera High School, Calera Middle School, Helena High School, Helena Middle School, Shelby County High School, Columbiana Middle School, and Shelby County Career Technical Education Center. Keyla is a proud resident of Columbiana, Alabama, where she was born and raised, and attends Camp Branch United Methodist Church. She is the wife of Helena Police Officer KC Handley, and they are the proud parents of their spunky, sassy, beautiful daughter Abby Lane.
“I nominated Keyla because she works so hard to prepare students for the real world and life after high school,” said Spratlin. “She is truly helping shape the future leaders of our communities and doing a fantastic job. Keyla is determined to give the students she works with the best opportunity to succeed while they are in school and as they decide which career path they want to pursue. She is also the woman with all the connections! She is always willing to make a connection for someone or with someone, even when it is for the craziest or most obscure needs. When it comes to the students and their ambitions, she goes out of her way to find someone in the specific career field of interest to connect the student with for job shadowing opportunities, professional Q&A sessions, or whatever they might need to be prepared for the future.”
Julie Godfrey, Career and Technical Education
Supervisor for Shelby County Schools, said, “Keyla is an asset to our Career Technical Department, our district, and our community. She has a strong work ethic and genuinely cares and does what is best for students. She is always looking for new ways to help students with their next step plans while in high school and beyond. She does a great job communicating and collaborating with the teachers in each school to keep them abreast of programs and offerings in our county. I’m thankful to have Keyla on our CTE team!”
“My job as a Career Coach is to help the students find a way to take their interests, skills, and strengths and turn that into a career path that leads to a happy, successful future,” said Keyla. “Whether a student is going straight into the workforce or joining the military after high school or pursuing higher education at a college or university, I strive to make sure students are equipped and prepared for the journey ahead. Some days my job looks like setting up job shadowing opportunities in hospitals or manufacturing plants for students, other days, it is a zoom call with a NASA aerospace engineer on the other side of the country, and then there are days of working with students to create and edit their resumes, coaching them for job interviews, or helping students fill out applications for jobs, colleges, or financial assistance for college. No matter what the day looks like, it is always encouraging to see students chase their dreams and achieve their goals. I love what I do and feel truly blessed to be able to help the students in Shelby County prepare for their journey and become our future leaders.”
ēCO Credit Union employees surprised Keyla Handley on Wednesday, March 23, with a gift basket and VISA gift card at Calera High School.
“I am truly grateful to ēCO and Ana for this
recognition,” said Keyla. “This was a complete surprise, and it definitely brightened my day! ēCO does so much to support our teachers and help our students better prepare for a financially successful future. It’s truly amazing to have such a great community partner, like ēCO, that is always looking for ways to get involved with our students and faculty. The staff at ēCO is always willing to lend a helping hand, whether it is providing pencils or academic calendars, volunteering to be guest speakers, or sharing financial education resources and programs; they are truly dedicated to helping our community prepare for their journey.”
Thank you, Keyla, for your dedication to helping students find their passions and boldly pursue them. We are grateful for individuals like you that bring kindness, compassion, and encouragement to those around them.
Would you like to nominate someone to be "Credit Unioned"? Email us at marketing@ecocu.org.