MONROE - In the midst of Financial Literacy Month, bankers will be taking to classrooms for National Teach Children to Save Day today, April 11.
The Wisconsin Bankers Association has been organizing Teach Children to Save Day events since 1997, according to WBA Senior Vice President and Chief Operations Officer Michael Semmann.
"The Teach Children to Save Day is intended to start the conversation from a different perspective about the overall issue of financial literacy with the ultimate goal of helping kids grow up to be financially proficient," Semmann said.
Last year, Wisconsin bankers reached over 12,000 children during April, according to a press release from the WBA.
The association provides its member bank branches with a "Reading Raises Interest Kit" to help bankers with presentations at their local schools and libraries. It distributed 324 kits this year, according to WBA Communications Coordinator Amber Hartl.
She said at least five bankers in the Monroe area regularly give presentations for the WBA's Bankers Promoting Financial Literacy Program. For 2012-2013, about 1,300 people attended the presentations reported to the WBA.
The kit provides talking points and sample curriculum, among other aides, which are meant to give children an understanding of how to use and manage money.
"It uses concepts that children will be familiar with to help teach them about skills that'll last a lifetime," Semmann said.
It also includes a list of recommended books that introduce kids to basic financial concepts based on age and a list of online lesson plans for grades one through five.
According to Semmann, the WBA's overall program for Financial Literacy Month is larger, but Teach Children to Save Day is focused on elementary school students. The book featured in this year's kit is called "Money, Money, Honey Bunny!" by Marilyn Sadler and is geared toward kindergarten students to second-graders.
Within the lesson plan, the presenter reads the book to the class and then the students play a matching game to review the story content and concepts, like distinguishing between saving and spending.
The WBA holds events geared toward adults as well to help them with issues such as how to keep their personal information safe. Semmann said they also put out consumer columns twice a month.
The Wisconsin Bankers Association has been organizing Teach Children to Save Day events since 1997, according to WBA Senior Vice President and Chief Operations Officer Michael Semmann.
"The Teach Children to Save Day is intended to start the conversation from a different perspective about the overall issue of financial literacy with the ultimate goal of helping kids grow up to be financially proficient," Semmann said.
Last year, Wisconsin bankers reached over 12,000 children during April, according to a press release from the WBA.
The association provides its member bank branches with a "Reading Raises Interest Kit" to help bankers with presentations at their local schools and libraries. It distributed 324 kits this year, according to WBA Communications Coordinator Amber Hartl.
She said at least five bankers in the Monroe area regularly give presentations for the WBA's Bankers Promoting Financial Literacy Program. For 2012-2013, about 1,300 people attended the presentations reported to the WBA.
The kit provides talking points and sample curriculum, among other aides, which are meant to give children an understanding of how to use and manage money.
"It uses concepts that children will be familiar with to help teach them about skills that'll last a lifetime," Semmann said.
It also includes a list of recommended books that introduce kids to basic financial concepts based on age and a list of online lesson plans for grades one through five.
According to Semmann, the WBA's overall program for Financial Literacy Month is larger, but Teach Children to Save Day is focused on elementary school students. The book featured in this year's kit is called "Money, Money, Honey Bunny!" by Marilyn Sadler and is geared toward kindergarten students to second-graders.
Within the lesson plan, the presenter reads the book to the class and then the students play a matching game to review the story content and concepts, like distinguishing between saving and spending.
The WBA holds events geared toward adults as well to help them with issues such as how to keep their personal information safe. Semmann said they also put out consumer columns twice a month.