Norridgewock First Graders Mark 100th Day of School at Skowhegan Savings; Collect Pennies for Haitian Earthquake Victims
NORRIDGEWOCK, Maine - Three classes of first graders clutching bags of pennies visited the Norridgewock branch of Skowhegan Savings on Tuesday, February 9, 2010 as part of their 100th day of school milestone. This year, the students will donate their penny collections to the earthquake relief efforts in Haiti.
Annually, first grade students from the Mill Stream School engage in a financial literacy program to learn about the value of money. They save up 100 pennies and visit the bank to exchange the pennies for the currency of their choice. These six-year olds have a plan in mind for their $1.00 - some will add it to existing savings but many will contribute it to a school-wide project.
This year, classes throughout the school have been collecting funds for Haitian earthquake victims in addition to their individual penny collections. Students in grades K-6 have brought in handfuls upon handfuls of change and bottles for the cause.
Third grade teacher Roxanne Davis and second grade teacher Gail Kay organized the school's fund drive for Haiti shortly after the earthquake disaster occurred and they are still tallying the funds raised.
First grade teacher Barbara Welch has been organizing the educational bank trips for the first-graders for several years. She stated, "We are so lucky to have a local bank willing to help us learn about the importance of money in our world. We are a little bit wiser about the pennies we see that are so often tossed aside."
Molly Gould, Skowhegan Savings' branch supervisor in Norridgewock remarked on the importance of getting children involved in managing their money from an early age. "We are happy to host the first graders and share information on how a bank works. It's rewarding to see them make their first transactions and gain a basic understanding of money that will benefit them for years to come."
Skowhegan Savings' mascots, Trusty Tree and Penny Pine Cone were also on hand to greet the young students and help them mark this educational milestone.
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Photo Caption: Mill Stream School students with Penny Pine Cone and Trusty Tree at Skowhegan Savings' Norridgewock branch.
Skowhegan Savings, founded in 1869, is an independent
mutual savings bank dedicated to strengthening the Maine
families, businesses and communities it serves. Named as
one of Maine's Best Places to Work in 2009, Skowhegan Savings'
team of friendly, committed employees takes pride in delivering
personalized, competitive banking services with integrity
and putting the needs of their customers first. An innovative
and progressive approach to banking ensures their customers
enjoy a banking experience that is quick, easy and convenient.
Skowhegan Savings' nine Maine branches include two locations
in Skowhegan, as well as locations in Belgrade, Bingham,
Dexter, Fairfield, Madison, Norridgewock, and Pittsfield. For more information, visit www.skowsavings.com or contact Customer Service
at 800.303.9511
