Students learn money management at Springwoods

Students at Springwoods Elementary became account-holding bankers last week as the Stars and Stripes in-school branch of Cardinal Bank proudly opened for business. Fifteen student “employees,” including fifth-grade Bank Manager April Harff, were on hand to help students open new high-yield savings accounts.

“I hope that the bank will be a success and I’m pretty sure that it will be. I hope that Springwoods learns how to save,” says Harff. All fifteen employees had to apply and interview for their new jobs with the Stars and Stripes branch and April, like her co-workers, is proud to be on board. She says the managerial position appealed to her because “I really like being a leader and I like saving money.”

“You are going to learn skills at this Stars and Stripes Branch that your parents will be delighted with,” School Board Chairman Lucy S. Beauchamp told the students during a ribbon-cutting ceremony on April 20. “When you all go off to college you won’t have to worry about balancing

that checkbook because you’ll already know how.”

Superintendent of Schools Steven L. Walts echoed her sentiments, congratulating the students for being selected for their new jobs. “You went out there and applied and won those positions,” said Walts. “That’s a great start.”

Prince William County Public Schools has approximately forty-seven different financial educational initiatives, ten of which involve in-school, student-run bank branches. These and other business partnerships are facilitated by Partnership Prince William. For more information on forming a partnership with Prince William County schools, log on to www.pwcspartnership.org or contact Sharon Henry at 703.791.8002.

The Stars and Stripes branch of Cardinal Bank will be open weekly for student deposits.

Visit Springwoods Elementary's Web site.

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