Last fall, during International Credit Union week in October, County elementary second grade classrooms were invited to take an educational tour of NorState Federal Credit Union facilities

The students visited NorState branches in Madawaska, Van Buren, Eagle Lake, Ashland, Fort Kent and Presque Isle to learn how money is saved and how transactions are done, and the ins and outs of a financial institution.

During the tours, each student went home with a financial activity book for their age group, a credit union token and a classroom savings bank. NorState challenged each classroom teacher and students to save their spare change throughout the winter months and raise money for Special Olympics of Maine and had until credit unions’ Youth Month which occurs throughout the month of April.

To bring to a close a month-long celebration themed the Science of Savings, NorState FCU revisited each classroom, presented a "mini" financial literacy lesson about saving, spending and giving as well as give each student a bank to bring home that had individual compartments to deposit their coins in, labeled SAVE, SPEND, GIVE in hopes that they continue learning about saving money, how to responsibly spend on needs versus wants and how to be charitable as well.

The second graders proceeded to donate their classroom bank savings and pool them all together for donation to Special Olympics.

Total collected by the students was over $177.83!

NorState matched a portion of their savings as promised and the totals raised being donated to Special Olympics will be 324.23.

Pictured with her students at Presque Isle’s Pine Street Elementary School is Mrs. Sharlot Bishop’s along with NorState Presque Isle Branch Manager Tammy Cyr Wortman. This class alone raised $41.59 in spare change, and were the top grossing class!

Participating classrooms included Madawaska Elementary, Dr. Levesque’s in Frenchville, Fort Kent Elementary, Presque Isle Elementary, Easton Elementary, Van Buren Elementary and Ashland Schools.

If your school wishes to have financial education instructions or presentations for any grade level, please contact the marketing department at NorState FCU by calling 1-800-804-7555.

This information was submitted to us as part of a press release. If you would like to share your community news or event with our audience, please email newspi@townsquaremedia.com.

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