In an effort to foster students’ abilities to develop sound spending and saving habits, fifth-grade students at Park Avenue Memorial Elementary School participated in a financial literacy lesson led by representatives from Valley National Bank on Nov. 19-20.

During the lesson, fifth-graders heard a story about twin brothers, one a “spender” and the other a “saver.” After listening to the story, students complete a worksheet that calculated how much each twin earned, saved and spent. Following the lesson, representatives answered students’ questions about their careers in the financial services industry and ways to save money at a young age.

Through the American Bankers Association’s Teach Children to Save Program, students receive an age-appropriate education lesson designed to meet educational standards in personal finance and reinforce concepts being taught in math, language arts and other disciplines.