Bank of Lancaster, in partnership with the Virginia Bankers Association (VBA), recently hosted area high school seniors for Virginia Bank Day. In 1991, the Virginia General Assembly declared the third Tuesday in March as Bank Day, giving high school seniors across the Commonwealth the opportunity to learn more about banking, financial services, and the vital roles banks play in their communities.
The Bank’s Consumer Education Director, Hazel Farmer, stated
“We were extremely pleased to have 15 high school seniors participate in the Bank Day program,” said consumer education director hazel Farmer.
Michaela Beverly and Alonzo Turner represented Colonial Beach; Lindsey Brocklebank, Jahlil Nickens, Angel Strickler and Sha’Niya Taylor, Lancaster; Canee Beauchamp, Essex; Macey Augst, Brian Harris, Hamani Veney and Markasia Waller, Northumberland; Laura Milstead, Madison Pierson and Charlyse Tolson, Rappahannock; and Lezlee Lindsey, Washington & Lee High.
“Bank of Lancaster has a strong commitment to financial literacy; and as community bankers, we are proud to work with the VBA, the Virginia Council on Economic Education, the American Bankers Association and our local schools to promote financial and economic education,” said Farmer.
“These young people had a full day with us, learning about the importance of saving; obtaining and maintaining good credit; careers in banking; dressing for success; privacy and confidentiality; ethics; how to complete both an employment application and a loan application; and how community bankers reinvest in their community, both financially and with manpower,” she said. “Several times throughout the day I heard ‘I had no idea so much goes on in a bank’ and ‘I didn’t know there were so many different types of career opportunities in banking.’”
“Bank Day is one of the best short-term, hands-on experiences that a classroom teacher can offer their students—the opportunity to go inside the bank, to watch customer/bank officer interaction, to learn about the many services that banks offer and to start the networking that often leads to part-time and summer jobs, scholarships and a start on a career path in the financial world,” said VBA president and chief executive officer Bruce Whitehurst.
Following their day at a bank, students submit an essay to the VBA on the topic “How Banking Benefits My Community.” The VBA will award $26,000 in scholarships to the essay winners.
Over the last two years, Bank of Lancaster has been honored to host two regional winners for the Hampton Roads/Eastern Shore region: Jessica Thomas from NHS was a regional winner in 2016 and Cassandra Downey from CBHS in 2015.
“We are in great hopes one or more of the students who visited with us this year will also be a scholarship recipient, said Farmer. “Our students were a very enthused, polite and attentive group of young people and we enjoyed having all of them with us for the day.
“We also want to thank the local high schools for working with us and giving these young people the opportunity to spend the day with us and participate in Bank Day. It was absolutely an informative and fun day,” she said.
Following their morning in various branches and a tour of the corporate headquarters in Kilmarnock, the students enjoyed lunch at Indian Creek Yacht & Country Club.
