Nearly 200 Wayne Elementary School students saved $7,800 and made 1,900 deposits this year at the State Nebraska Bank & Trust Blue Devil Branch. Students also earned over 500 fun incentives, like bookmarks, coupons, and school supplies, when making deposits over the 25 days the bank was open.
The in-school savings program allows students in kindergarten thru sixth grade to open a savings account at Wayne Elementary School with parental permission. The goal is to teach local Wayne students how banks work and how to become life-long savers. In four years of operation, 350 students have saved over $27,000 at this school bank.
Twenty-five fifth and sixth grade tellers worked at the branch each week under supervision from SNB employees. In early May, the tellers went on a field trip to tour the Omaha branch of the Kansas City Federal Reserve and receive special certificates. Sixth grader Araya Tentinger was chosen as the Stellar Teller of the year, representing the one teller who provided the best customer service, showed up on time to work, promoted the Blue Devil Branch to others, and always encouraged students to save.
This unique savings program is part of a state-wide effort led by the Nebraska Council on Economic Education to teach financial literacy to youth. There are more than 30 in-school savings programs operating in Nebraska and Iowa. The SNB Blue Devil Branch was the first in-school bank in northeast Nebraska, and has support from Wayne State College students who teach financial literacy lessons to elementary students.
New tellers from fourth and fifth grades have been hired for next year so the school branch can reopen in the fall. Elementary students can always open an account at school with a signed permission form. For details about the branch, visit https://statenebank.com/about/blue-devil-branch/.
Founded in 1892, State Nebraska Bank & Trust is the only bank locally owned in Wayne, run by the same family for five generations. For more information, visit www.statenebank.com or call (402) 375-1130.
