Before the first school bell rings, a small line starts to form. Some students carry a few coins while others hold a birthday check. Every one of them is expectantly waiting for the bank to open.
Through its School Bank Program, Bank of Lincoln County brings the bank to six schools across Lincoln County every week from 7:15 to 7:45 a.m. Team members visit South Lincoln School and Riverside Christian Academy on Tuesdays, Blanche School and Flintville School on Wednesdays, and Unity School and Highland Rim School on Thursdays. It is only a half hour, but it happens week after week, and that steady rhythm is the secret.
Saving money is a habit, and habits grow through repetition. When students know the bank will be back next week, setting a little aside starts to feel normal. The program makes sure no amount is too small. Accounts have no minimum balance and no service charge, so a handful of quarters matters just as much as a bigger deposit. Families who already have a children’s savings account with the bank can use it in the program, too.
One clever detail sets the program apart. Putting money in is easy, since students can make deposits at school or at any Bank of Lincoln County branch at any time. Withdrawing money takes a little more effort because withdrawals are only available at a branch. That extra step gives kids a moment to pause and think before they spend, a lesson plenty of grown-ups are still working on.
The accounts also earn interest, giving students their first real look at money growing on its own. Watching a balance tick upward can spark big questions about patience and planning. And to keep mornings fun, young savers spin the prize wheel and earn a bonus deposit from the bank. Since its inception, the Bank of Lincoln County has contributed and deposited over $75,000 to local students’ savings accounts. A few coins today can truly grow into a lifelong habit.
Contact Bank of Lincoln County
(931) 433-1708
This story is sponsored content.
