Bank on Brazos Valley Money Week Celebration

The City of Bryan coordinates the local Bank on It Program, which provides financial literacy and education to the community through a concentrated outreach effort by the members of Bank on Brazos Valley (BOBV). The coalition targets families and individuals who may not be banked or are under-banked by developing relationships with them through one-on-one financial coaching, workshops, financial seminars, financial simulations, financial case management and many other efforts. These are usually customized for a particular group or organization such as SOS Ministries, Boys and Girls Club, Girl Scouts, school districts, Project Unity Parent Wisely program, Bryan Housing Authority and similar organizations. Members include local financial institutions (banks and credit unions), non-profits interested in financial literacy, both the City of Bryan and College Station, United Way, Federal Reserve, FDIC, Brazos Valley Affordable Housing, National League of Cities, Brazos Valley Council of Government, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and related organizations. For a complete list of our financial partners, please visit www.bankonbrazosvalley.com.

Money Smart Week started as a coordinated effort of the Money Smart Advisory Council, a diverse group of 40+ Chicago area organizations promoting personal financial literacy, with the Federal Reserve/Chicago convening the first meeting. Across the nation, different financial literacy organizations, such as our Bank on It program, coordinate their efforts, as much as possible, to coincide with this national effort. This year’s Money Smart Week is March 30-April 6, 2019.

Bank on Brazos Valley, in partnership with Texas A&M Agri-Life Extension and Bryan Independent School District, is hosting three events to celebrate financial literacy efforts in April. On April 16, 2019, a financial simulation entitled “Welcome to the Real World” targeting seniors was conducted at Rudder High and again on April 30, 2019 at Bryan High. This simulation provides real-life scenarios for students to walk through to learn how to budget a monthly income based on real-life experiences a person faces once living on their own such as how to pay rent, buy food, pay for a car, utilities, have some entertainment and savings and understand how to balance their budget. Booths are manned by BOBV members providing the seniors guidance as they work through their monthly budget. Additionally, Bryan ISD is providing an opportunity for grades K-12 to participate in a financial essay contest geared toward teaching all levels of students the importance of their financial decisions no matter the amount of money they have. Grades K-4 are focused on an art essay showing what they might do to earn money and a second picture showing what they would do with their earnings. Grades 5-12 will compete with a 500-word essay on savings and how their decisions affect their future. Grade levels are judged separately (5&6, 7&8 and 9-12 grades) with one winner and one honorable mention in each category. Participating elementary schools will have at least one winner and one honorable mention each. Sponsors of the financial essay contest include the City of Bryan, Spirit of Texas Bank, and Commerce National Bank. Artwork and essays will be on display at the City of Bryan Municipal Office Building (first floor lobby) by April 3, 2019 for the winners and honorable mentions.

For more information, please contact Alsie Bond, City of Bryan Community Development Office, at 979-209-5175 and/or Lauren Wooldridge, Bryan Independent School District Secondary Math Coordinator, at 979-209-1060

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