By Lindsay Torrico
Each year, on Teach Children to Save Day, banks across the country participate in creating a lasting, positive impact on young people and their financial futures.
This year, more than 11,000 bank volunteers from nearly 500 banks gave their time and talent on April 24 — and we took it to a new level.
Thanks to a new collaboration with the Department of Treasury, along with the hard work of our bank volunteers, we came together to further our mission — empowering the next generation with tools to save, invest and build wealth.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent provided the highlight. He recorded a video that was played during Teach Children to Save presentations to K-8 students across the country.
The secretary’s message to students, educators, parents and bankers was clear: financial literacy is a priority, and we all have a role to play in building stronger, more resilient communities.
This was a rallying moment for banks, nonprofits and government leaders to advance financial literacy — not just on Teach Children to Save Day, but all year long.
Here are three ways that banks can continue to drive that message in their communities:
1. Host financial literacy presentations year-round. To move the needle, teaching financial literacy should not be a one-time event— but an ongoing commitment year-round. While Teach Children to Save Day provides a great start, schools and youth organizations benefit from ongoing workshops. Banks can develop monthly or quarterly presentations focusing on budgeting, savings and credit management. They can establish strategic partnerships with local schools and lean on trusted nonprofits like Junior Achievement to coordinate volunteer activations on a regular basis. Sign up for the Teach Children to Save program to access free ABA Foundation resources all year and continue to show Secretary Bessent’s video during presentations to underscore that students are a critical part of a larger financial ecosystem that allows our country to thrive and flourish. Capture the positive energy at those sessions by posting pictures and videos to your social media channels showing the learning in action, so others in the community know about your efforts.
2. Help implement financial literacy curriculum in your state. Banks can play a vital role in supporting the implementation of financial education in classrooms. With 27 states now requiring students to take a personal finance course to graduate high school, many states are determining how to incorporate it into school curriculum and bankers can help ensure these efforts are well-informed and effective. By actively participating in these conversations, banks can enhance curriculum standards, provide input on real-world financial challenges students should learn to navigate, and offer training sessions for teachers on how to effectively teach financial concepts. In the states that do not require financial literacy, banks can partner with their state bankers associations to advocate and share the message about the power of educating youth on financial literacy.
3. Get creative during the summer months. As we approach the summer months, financial literacy does not need to stop at the end of the school year. Summer presents an excellent opportunity to bring financial education beyond the classroom and into community spaces. Banks can take a creative approach by embedding financial literacy into local events such as community block parties, farmers’ markets, festivals and sports events. Partner with summer camps to host hands-on financial literacy workshops, scavenger hunts and trivia contests. By meeting people where they are — outside of traditional classroom settings — banks can make financial literacy more approachable while fostering trust within the community.
Keeping the momentum going
Teach Children to Save Day may come once a year, but the opportunity to educate and empower young people happens every day. By continuing financial literacy presentations, supporting state-level curriculum efforts, and embedding lessons into summer community events, banks can make a lasting impact that strengthens families and communities for generations to come.
Financial literacy is the foundation for economic empowerment — let’s make it a year-round priority.
Lindsay Torrico is SVP, bank community engagement and executive director of the ABA Foundation.
