Banks take part in H.S. competition

FALL RIVER – Five banks in Massachusetts participated in a financial-education competition with high school students from around the Bay State last year, which has been made into a video now available on the Internet.
The competition, dubbed “Common Cents,” was recorded last fall, but is now available at www.masscommoncents.com. Roughly 80 high school students competed in a quiz show-like competition hosted by the Massachusetts Bankers Association in partnership with BayCoast Bank, Bank of America, Cape Cod Five Cents Savings Bank, PeoplesBank and The Savings Bank.
“We are strong supporters of the Common Cents program and share the view that financial literacy should be taught as part of the high school curriculum,” said Nicholas Christ, president and CEO of BayCoast Bank, in a statement.
BayCoast also invited students from the Gateway to College to participate in the financial literary exercise.
Common Cents is being introduced to every Massachusetts high school, according to a BayCoast press release. The program was produced in support of the Financial Literacy Pilot program, which was established by the Massachusetts Legislature in 2012. It is currently in its third year.
“Unfortunately, financial education is not currently required in all of Massachusetts high schools,” said Daniel J. Forte, president and CEO of the Massachusetts Bankers Association, in a statement. “The Common Cents quiz show provides an effective and engaging opportunity for high school students – or just about anyone – to gain valuable financial knowledge and could serve as a model for some of the subject matter that should be taught in our high schools.”
The quiz show was hosted by New England Cable News anchor Latoyia Edwards, Ashlee Feldman of JAM’N 94.5 and Jeffrey Fuhrer, executive vice president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. Jermaine Wiggins, former member of the New England Patriots, also made a guest appearance.

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