Community Bankers of Iowa Monthly Banker Update April 2014 | Page 12

TS Bank Makes Financial Literacy A Priority in Schools

Written by Jackie Haley, Membership Services Director - Community Bankers of Iowa
I recently visited Treynor, Iowa to learn about CBI Member TS
Bank and their local financial literacy programs. Bob Mantell,
Financial Literacy Director for TS Bank Institute explained
the goals of their program and how it has developed since its
inception in 2009.
The TS Bank Institute was
created with the vision of
improving financial literacy
for young people throughout
Iowa and the nation. The
idea of establishing the
Institute was originated by
the Guttau family, owners of
TS Bank. The first mission
consisted of the creation and
implementation of a financial
literacy program in the
Treynor Community School
District that a) would impact
every student in grades
K-12, b) could objectively
measure success, and
c) could be replicated in
other school districts
throughout Iowa.

National Lemonade Day
Treynor 1st grade students have participated in this
entrepreneurship-focused event that offers lesson plans and
provides guidance to students and parents to build lemonade
stands and sell products. A portion of the proceeds pays back
“investors” and also is donated to charities.
Vault
This web-based interactive platform is associated with EverFi
and is designed to teach elementary students basic money
management concepts. Treynor 4th grade students participate
in this program.

TS Bank Financial Literacy
Director Bob Mantell at the
bank’s “Cardinal Branch” inside
Treynor Elementary School.

The goal of the TS Bank Institute Financial Literacy initiative
was to enhance financial education by creating and
implementing comprehensive K-12 programs that focus on
the following areas in Personal/Consumer Finance, Banking &
Financial Markets, Insurance & Risk Management, Economics,
and Entrepreneurship.
In the short time I was there, I was overwhelmed by the
dedication of Mr. Mantell and his team. Not only were they
offering lesson plans and/or full courses in financial literacy for
all grades, but their partnership with the Treynor Community
School District resulted in a local mandate that high school
students must take a semester long personal finance class to
graduate. Beyond classroom education, there were numerous
programs, games and real banking experience for students
right in their own school. Here is a look as what a student can
experience in their years at the local participating schools.
In elementary and middle schools, students have the
opportunity to participate in the following:
Junior Achievement
This program focuses on economics and entrepreneurship
for grades K-5. Five lessons are taught to each classroom by
community volunteers.
Iowa Money Smart Week
Ben Franklin visits the elementary school every spring to teach
all K-5 students the value of saving by sharing his “penny
saved, penny earned” philosophy, and students participate
12

in the annual Money Smart Week Poster Contest through art
class sponsored by Community Bankers of Iowa. The posters
are created with various financial literacy themes. Middle
school students participate in the annual Money Smart Week
essay contest through English class for a chance to win a
$1,000 college savings bond.

CBI BANKER UPDATE | APRIL 2014

Money Island
This web-based interactive financial literacy platform is
sponsored by TS Bank and guides middle school students
through “quests” to find Stone Broke. Students utilize laptops or
tablets to participate in this game-like platform.
National Theatre for Children
In the spring the National Theatre for Children presents
“Mad about Money” to Treynor middle school students.
The presentation focuses on prioritizing needs vs. wants,
understanding the difference between cash and credit,
investing, and the importance of forming a savings habit.
Stock Market Game
TS Bank Institute has facilitated this program to elementary and
middle school students as an after school event. Students learn
about stock market basics and form teams to create portfolios
and make trades with virtual money.
Elementary School Banking
TS Bank Institute has experience in facilitating elementary inschool banking
programs as
two schools
(Treynor
Elementary
School
and Rue
Elementary
School in
Council Bluffs)
currently have
TS Bank
The TS Bank-Cardinal Branch at Treynor
educational
Elementary School encourages students to learn
branches.
the value of saving at an early age.
(Financial Literacy continued on next page)