Several kindergarten students at Three Rivers Elementary School chatted quietly as they waited in line to deposit money at First Interstate’s Mini Bank.
Aaron Schofield is the branch manager and vice president for the First Interstate Bank in The Village at Sunriver.
“This is the first year our bank is offering the Mini Bank,” Schofield said. “We are starting with the kindergarten students and adding a grade each year. Our goal is to work with the teachers to share information about how to save money and financial education.”
The students will earn 4 percent interest on their savings account, until they graduate from the eighth grade. Then, they can open a checking account. Every student who made a deposit in February, received $1 to add to their account from the Three Rivers PTA. First Interstate Bank employees Alisha Peterson and Joelle Meyer worked with the students, carefully counting and recording their deposits.
“The students also toured the bank in February and learned what each person does,” Schofield said. “They also got to go into the bank vault.”
The Mini Bank is one of several programs provided by First Interstate Bank to provide financial education to community members.