Banks, clubs join forces to teach kids about money
Staff Report
The Finance Park capstone simulation for all St. Mary Parish eighth-grade students was held Dec. 4-15 at Shannon Elementary’s gym.
Finance Park helps middle school students build a foundation of intelligent, personal financial decision-making skills through an experiential, real-life simulation. Students visit Finance Park after completing teacher-led course materials.
When they arrive on site, students are assigned a life scenario, including a job, salary and family situation, to use as the basis of their simulation experience. They learn how to construct and adhere to a personal budget, including paying their housing, food, savings, transportation, entertainment, health care and maintenance, utilities, clothing and education bills.
The program’s success would not have been possible without the mentorship of our community volunteers from Iberia Bank, Patterson State Bank, Regions Bank, Whitney Bank, Cabot Corporation, Chi Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma, Rotary Club of Morgan City, Kiwanis Club of East St. Mary, St. Mary Parish School Board staff, and teachers as well as the leadership of Emily Berry, marketing director of MC Bank and Trust, Gidget Everitt and Amber Monceaux, St. Mary Parish School Board, who served as volunteer instructors throughout the simulation.