Vinton County National Bank (VCNB) was honored with the 2018 Financial Capability Innovation Award presented by the nation’s leading technology innovator, EVERFI, Inc. The award recognizes VCNB’s significant efforts to improve the financial capability of Americans through unique digital learning initiatives.
VCNB Executive Vice President of Marketing Audra Johnson explained that the bank believes this is an important program to offer to local high school students and she takes pride in the enthusiasm these students bring to the program year after year. “What I find impressive are the students. They continue to amaze me year after year with how seriously they take the program and how much knowledge they gain from start to finish. Our average is over 80 percent knowledge gain. I’d say that statistic is pretty incredible,” Johnson said.
Honorees were selected based on a set of criteria that included the scale and reach of their financial education initiatives, the duration of their commitment, and unique employee volunteering activities that supplement their programs.
(Wes Cobb and Sam Michaels of EverFiare pictured presenting the Financial Capability Innovation Award to VCNB Vice President of Marketing Audra Johnson, Canal Banking Center Branch Service Manager Kaylie Black and VCNB President Ron Collins)
“Each year, we honor institutions that are truly dedicated to going above and beyond in service to their communities,” said Ray Martinez, EVERFI President of Financial Education. “The Financial Capability Innovation Awards have given us the opportunity to share and celebrate the tremendous investment these institutions are making and continue to make in the communities where they live, work, and serve. For EVERFI, our time here reminds us just how critical the role innovation continues to play in empowering Americans to pursue economic opportunity and achieve financial security for themselves, their families, and their community.”
VCNB is committed to providing students with the skills and knowledge needed to successfully navigate the increasingly complex financial world we live in. VCNB has partnered with EVERFI to bring Financial U to local students at no cost to schools or taxpayers and has reached over 6,000 students since 2012. The web-based program uses the latest in simulation and gaming technologies to bring complex financial concepts to life for today’s digital generation.
Administered by teachers in a classroom setting, the web-based course offers over six hours of programming on a variety of financial topics including credit scores, insurance, credit cards, student loans, mortgages, taxes, stocks, savings, 401k’s and other critical concepts that map to national financial literacy standards. The platform uniquely tracks the progress and performance of every student.
VCNB invests in financial education and outreach through a variety of methods, including Teach Children To Save which reaches elementary students in Fairfield, Hocking and Vinton counties as well as through Bremen Bank Days which teaches students about saving money. VCNB also teaches Get Smart About Credit and other important programs to high school students.
Learn more about the bank at www.VCNBfamily.com or follow the bank on Facebook at www.facebook.com/VintonCountyBank.