Piggy Banks on Parade for Kids
Did you know that there is a National Teach Children to Save Day? Established by the American Bankers Association’s Education Foundation, this day recognizes the importance of educating America’s youth about saving money. Designated for a Tuesday in the last week of April, the event includes bankers in all parts of the country making presentations to children in grades K-12. This year the event took place on April 25th, and the word is it was the largest combined effort yet.
In Houston, Texas a creative event called Piggy Banks on Parade took place in the 2 weeks surrounding National Teach Children to Save Day. As part of the event, a contest was held in which children in grades K-8 could paint piggy banks in a local pottery studio and enter them for prizes. Kids began painting their piggy banks in mid-March, and these piggy banks were eventually displayed ‘on parade’ at a local Community National Bank, who sponsored Piggy Banks on Parade for the 3rd year in a row. Prizes were finally awarded on April 29th, with recognition going to the “richest piggy bank”, “most creative piggy bank”, and “piggy bank with the most personality.” CNB provided five dollars to each participating child toward the opening of an in-house savings account. Also sponsoring the event were Mad Potter-Bellaire (the pottery studio which facilitated the painting) and The Bellaire Buzz Magazine. Kudos to everyone involved for promoting much needed financial literacy for today’s youth. In 2007, National Teach Children to Save Day will be April 24th. [news source: Houston Business Journal, March 6, 2006, “Bank sponsors piggy banks event during ‘Teach Children to save’”, by Thora Qaddumi]
