First National Bank of Waterloo provides financial literacy resources to local schools | Community

First National Bank of Waterloo is bringing financial literacy education to over 1,420 students in several counties in Illinois, including Trinity Lutheran School, Stewardson-Strasburg Elementary School and St. Anthony Grade School.

Students at 17 schools have free access to Banzai, an award-winning online program and content library that allows users to practice real-world finance from the safety of their home or classroom using any internet-enabled device.

“Banzai is a web-based financial literacy program. Kids get their own accounts, and they work through assignments that are based on real life,” says Morgan Vandagriff, co-founder of Banzai. “But because First National Bank of Waterloo is sponsoring it, local schools get it for free. More than ever, it’s important that kids develop sound financial skills to prepare them for the real world, and First National Bank of Waterloo realizes that and they’re doing something about it.”

While students learn, teachers can easily monitor and grade their progress remotely. After finishing Banzai, students will know how to track where their money is and what it’s for, recognize financial trade-offs, build a budget, and more. The Banzai resources are available at fnbwaterloo.teachbanzai.com.

First National Bank of Waterloo has partnered with Banzai to build financial literacy in the community by investing time, money, industry experience and a variety of bank resources. Beyond the Banzai library, First National Bank of Waterloo also offers virtual or in-classroom presentations from local experts on timely topics.

Banzai resources are used by over 97,000 teachers across the U.S. The courses align with Illinois’ state curriculum requirements, making the program a fun way for students to gain vital financial literacy skills.