FRISCO, TX, April 24, 2009 – Today, more than 85 second grade students from Frisco ISD’s Bright Elementary School participated in a field trip to Comerica Bank at 8422 Dallas Parkway. The students received a behind-the-scenes tour of the new, full-service banking center and a financial literacy lesson covering the basics of saving, credit and checking. The field trip is part of a larger financial literacy initiative called Money $ense that Comerica launched during April, National Financial Literacy Awareness Month.
The tour guided by Frisco banking center manager Danielle Carter and her staff included:
• stops at the walk-up ATM, where students viewed how money is deposited, stored and dispensed;
• the self-serve security box vault, where students locked up costume jewelry and play money in safe deposit boxes;
• the teller booths, where items were sent back and forth through the drive-thru tubes; and
• the cash vault, where money is counted and locked up daily.
“The Bright Elementary second graders asked wonderful questions and were very engaged,” said Danielle Carter, Frisco Banking Center Manager for Comerica Bank. “They took great interest in how the bank operates, especially of the teller booth vacuum tubes and the cash storage vault. Overall, they had a delightful time learning about banks and money.”
“We truly appreciate Comerica for reaching out into the community and offering this fun, educational experience to our students,” said Susie Graham, Bright Elementary School Principal. “Students respond well to visual, hands-on instruction, and this field trip was a great way to demonstrate the inner-workings of a bank and how to be financially responsible.”
April: Financial Literacy Awareness Month
This month, Comerica launched a financial literacy education initiative -- Money $ense -- throughout the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. Money $ense aims to promote and teach financial literacy to people of all ages and income levels. Last year alone, Comerica educated more than 5,000 students and adults in Texas through its diverse financial literacy programming. Forty Comerica employees volunteered more than 400,000 hours toward the effort.
“Through Money $ense Comerica is offering various programs that teach children and adults to be successful with their personal finances,” said Charles L. Gummer, Texas Market President, Comerica Bank. “The goal of Money $ense is to raise the level of financial literacy awareness in our communities by giving families the necessary tools and resources to make wise financial decisions, especially during tough economic times.”
Comerica recently piloted its Youth Savings Program at Dallas ISD’s Adelle Turner Elementary School to aid in the financial development of area youth. As part of this program, students open fee-free savings accounts with Comerica and are able to make deposits each month in their in-school banking center staffed by Comerica employees. Comerica professional staff members also teach a monthly series of financial literacy classes to elementary school parents to help educate adults on how to manage credit card debt, create a family budget and other money management lessons that are valuable during these turbulent economic conditions.
Comerica also works with Coppell’s ISD’s Cottonwood Creek Elementary School on a similar program. Coppell Banking Center Manager Gary Hernandez leads this effort to help students learn how to save and manage money.
In addition, Comerica collaborates with other Dallas/Fort Worth area organizations, such as Circle of Support, whose mission is to prepare young girls in South Dallas with academic achievement, leadership and life skills, J.C. Phelps Recreations Center, and Voices of Hope Ministries, which provides educational and life skills training, to initiate financial literacy programs.
About Comerica
Comerica Incorporated is a financial services company headquartered in Dallas, Texas, and strategically aligned by three business segments: The Business Bank, The Retail Bank, and Wealth & Institutional Management. Comerica focuses on relationships, and helping people and businesses be successful. In addition to Texas, Comerica Bank locations can be found in Arizona, California, Florida and Michigan, with select businesses operating in several other states, as well as in Canada, China and Mexico. Comerica reported total assets of $67.5 billion as of December 31, 2008. To receive e-mail alerts of breaking Comerica news, go to http://www.comerica.com/newsalerts.
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