Bank Sponsoring Financial Literacy Program

Originally posted on www.dailyamerican.com

1st Summit Bank is working with Banzai, an award-winning financial literacy program, to make the curriculum available to eight schools in the Johnstown, Portage, Sidman and Hollidaysburg areas for free.

“Banzai is a web-based financial literacy program. Kids have their own bank accounts, and they work through assignments that are based on real life,” Morgan Vandagriff, co-founder of Banzai, said in a press release. “But because 1st Summit Bank is sponsoring it, local schools get it for free. More than ever, it’s important that kids develop sound financial skills to prepare them for the real world.”

Banzai is an interactive, online program supplemented by printed workbooks that aligns with state curriculum requirements for personal finance education. Students using the program are exposed to real-life scenarios in which they learn to pay bills, balance a budget and manage unexpected expenses such as parking tickets, interest charges and overdraft fees. The program also introduces students to auto loans, bank statements, entertainment costs and savings.

Teachers interested in using the Banzai program can visit 1stsummit.teachbanzai.com or call 888-8-BANZAI.