Nov. 3, 2022 - “Banking is a life skill,” said Emily Starkey, special education teacher at Litzsinger School. That’s why she teamed up with Wells Fargo to provide her students with banking fundamentals. In November, Christine Starkey, Wells Fargo senior vice president of marketing, visited Emily’s fifth and sixth-grade classes to teach a lesson on the purpose of banks and how to use credit and debit cards. 

“Wells Fargo wanted to give back to the community,” said Christine. “Understanding how to manage your money is important to be financially successful throughout your entire life. Teaching children about money is one way we can help people learn how to be financially successful.” 

This was the first time that math teacher Emily’s students had been introduced to banking. It relates to the subject because everyone needs to understand how much money they earn and how to budget it, which Emily says involves numbers, counting, and equations. 

“Banking is a skill they need to know for when they grow older,” said Emily. “Knowing what a loan is will help them understand broader concepts of money. It is always fun to spend money, but knowing how to save up for something big or for emergencies will assist in problem-solving skills, planning, and creating goals for themselves.”

During the presentation, students used fake money when going over budgeting scenarios. Everyone was given a goodie bag to take home.