'I wake up really excited': In-school banking fun opportunity for CB kids

An in-school, financial literacy program — where kids learn about saving money and older kids serve as bank tellers — was started in the wake of the 2008 economic crisis. This year TS Bank operates banking for kids in four Southwest Iowa schools.

• “I’ve learned to count my money and to do it carefully without errors and get more efficient ways to do it,” fourth-grader, Bentley Belmont said.
• “It’s really fun to see the growth that they’ve had. And the excitement,” said Traci Dresher, programs manager for TS Bank.
• Principal Charla Johnson says it’s not just financial literacy, but math skills, and for the older kids serving as tellers: “They’re learning all about being trustworthy, responsible, being a good member of service to other people..."

BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:

Confidence, math skills, financial literacy ... benefits of the in-school banking program operated by TS Bank at Franklin Elementary School in Council Bluffs.

I’m your Southwest Iowa neighborhood reporter Katrina Markel

Kids help run the bank, too. Fourth-grader Bentley Belmont is a teller.

“I wake up really excited to be able to work and to deposit my money,” said the almost ten-year-old.

“It’s really fun to see the growth that they’ve had. And the excitement,” said Traci Dresher, programs manager for TS Bank. “They’ll walk in for the day, before bank has even started, and they’re holding money up in their hands and they’re telling us they’re coming to bank.”

As the programs manager for TS Bank, Traci Dresher gets to work with the kids. The program started in 2010 as a way to give back to the community and promote financial literacy in the wake of the 2008 economic crisis.

“I’ve learned to count my money and to do it carefully without errors and get more efficient ways to do it,” Belmont said.

(Reporter walks up to teller's desk.)

Katrina Markel: “So, I have a dollar that I want to deposit, how do I do that Adalyn?”

Adalyn: “Okay, so, first you’re going to write your first and last name on these two lines.”

Principal Charla Johnson says it’s not just financial literacy, but math skills, and for the older kids serving as tellers: “They’re learning all about being trustworthy, responsible, being a good member of service to other people ... It’s benefitting, not only the kids that are doing the banking, but our tellers, too.”

Katrina: “Do I have to have my mom sign it?”

Adalyn: “Yeah”

“They have to complete an application, interview with Traci,” said Johnson. “So it’s really an important job and they love that just as much as the kids that are depositing.”

Of the four schools in Council Bluffs and Treynor participating this year, Dresher says they’ve received more than 7,700 deposits.

Katrina Markel: "At Franklin Elementary in Council Bluffs with my new bank tellers: Adalyn, Kayda, and Bentley, I’m your southwest Iowa neighborhood reporter, Katrina Markel."
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