Headline Photo: First National Bank Vice President, Chris Egland, points out some micro printing on a twenty dollar bill to two Fisher’s Peak students with the help of magnifying glasses.
Fisher’s Peak Elementary School students are learning about saving, thanks to an innovative curriculum supplement sponsored by The First National Bank in Trinidad.
Fisher’s Peak Elementary School teacher, Ms. Cress, looks on as her students have fun exploring the security features of money.
Three second grade boys at Fisher’s Peak Elementary School examine a twenty dollar bill by holding it up to the light to view the hidden watermark within the paper.Second grade students do more than read and color story pages in the workbook titled Saving with Mandy and Randy. They learn vocabulary words related to savings, identify coins, count coins, add and subtract cents and dollars, complete activity sheets and practice savings skills.
Recent survey results indicate that Americans dole out an estimated $41 billion in allowance to their kids annually. These children will soon be teenagers, and the average teenager spends $5,408 annually, which is just shy of $259 billion annually. By sponsoring this program, First National is reaching young people at an early age. “If we can raise their level of financial responsibility and help them learn good money habits right from the start, it will pay big dividends for them and the community alike,” says bank Vice President, Chris Egland.
Ms. Egland recently visited Fisher’s Peak Elementary School to discuss topics covered in the curriculum. “We believe it is important that children learn the concept of money and have a healthy respect for it and understand the concept of saving,” says Ms. Egland. We are concerned
Students use slide charts to discover how much money they can save by cutting out a few unnecessary items they might purchase each day, week or month.that the financial training young people receive has not kept pace with the rate they receive and spend money. Research indicates that this is part of a nationwide trend. Providing Saving with Mandy and Randy is our way to encourage good spending habits early and help people achieve financial success.
Second grade students learned about money, its security features, and how the bank pays interest on savings accounts from Mrs. Egland’s classroom visit.
If you are a teacher in Huerfano, Las Animas or Colfax County, and would like to take advantage of one of these programs, contact Chris Egland at The First National Bank in Trinidad at (719) 859-3670. The program is free to schools and includes a teacher’s guide and a workbook for each student in the class.
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Photos courtesy Brad Kirby – The Chronicle News
