SouthEast Bank recognizes graduates of its digital financial education program at Farragut High School.
Farragut, TN – May 4th, 2016 – Yesterday, SouthEast Bank and representatives from the local political and educational communities–including Senator Richard Briggs and Representative Jason Zachary–honored over 50 graduates from the SouthEast Bank Financial Scholars Program, a web-based financial education course designed to provide students with the critical skills needed to make sound financial decisions. SouthEast Bank has partnered with leading education technology company EverFi, Inc., to bring this interactive, web-based financial education program to over 40 schools across East Tennessee. Since the program’s inception in 2013, the program has reached over 10,000 students.
Students at Farragut High School received certificates today for their outstanding work in completing the program. Teacher Emily Beale was also the recipient of the EverFi Tennessee Teacher of the Year award, chosen from over 600 teachers statewide. The event included remarks from student Georgia Gross, SVP of SouthEast Bank Herc Ligdis, and State Rep. Jason Zachary.
“These students are the future leaders of our nation. The more we can do to help them grow and prosper, the more our country will benefit,” said Herc Ligdis, Senior Vice President. “SouthEast Bank is proud to partner with EverFi to bring financial education to these students and prepare each one of them for a sound financial future.”
SouthEast Bank has partnered with EverFi, Inc. to bring the program to local students at no cost to the schools or the taxpayer. The web-based program uses the latest in new media technology to bring complex financial concepts to life for today’s digital generation. The course offers over eight hours of programming covering a variety of financial topics such as savings, investments, credit cards, and student loans. In 2015, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) highlighted EverFi’s schools-based financial education programs in a new report on Advancing K-12 Financial Education: A Guide for Policymakers.
A FINRA-funded study released in February 2015 found that students who received rigorous financial education in high school saw increased credit scores and decreased chance of credit delinquency as young adults, compared to their peers who did not receive financial education. SouthEast Bank Financial Scholars Program is implemented in a co-curricular basis, providing teachers with a valuable tool to use with students in a classroom setting. Data collected from more than 3,000 students who completed the program in the 2014-2015 academic year revealed that students’ understanding of credit scores increased by an average 35% after interacting with the curriculum.
“By partnering with the wonderful teachers whose passion is to enrich the lives of their students, the SouthEast Bank Financial Scholars Program helps students gain the critical skills necessary to make them successful for the rest of their lives,” said EverFi Founder and CEO Tom Davidson. “We are striving to create a world with fewer bankruptcies, fewer people defaulting on their student loans, and more people who feel in control of their financial future. Through SouthEast Bank’s investment in these students, we are one step closer.”
About SouthEast Bank: SouthEast Bank has become a premier Tennessee financial institution by delivering exceptional quality, service, and innovative banking products to its clients. Our experienced staff diligently serves our communities with integrity and a sense of pride by offering exceptional service and value to not only our customers, but also the community as a whole. Because we are operated by local employees who live and work alongside the people we serve, SouthEast Bank is a true community bank that uses state of the art technology both inside and outside of our branches to reinvest in our schools, organizations and neighborhoods.
About EverFi: EverFi, Inc. is the leading education technology company focused on teaching, assessing, and certifying K-12 and college students in the critical skills they need for life. The company teams with major corporations and foundations to provide the programs at no cost to K-12 schools. Some of America’s leading CEOs and venture capital firms are EverFi investors including Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos, Twitter founder Evan Williams, and Google Chairman Eric Schmidt. Learn more at everfi.com.
