This week-long program allows schools from across the state to invite bankers in their communities to visit classrooms and teach a 45-minute lesson on budgeting. Volunteers are trained and guided using a thorough curriculum and will come prepared to teach the unique and engaging activity, designed specifically for high-school aged students. Bankers in North Carolina are invited to participate regardless of age!

Looking to get more involved with the NCEL? We are currently taking applications for the 2024 NSEL Advisory Council! Submit your application by August 4, 2023.

Apply for the NCEL Advisory Council
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About

According to the World Bank, just 57% of U.S. adults are financially literate. The NC Emerging Leaders are committed to changing that statistic, and it starts in our local schools. The formation of the NC Emerging Leaders was first announced by the North Carolina Bankers Association in late 2015 as a way for young bankers to become engaged in their communities as industry advocates. One of the primary missions of the organization is to promote financial literacy in North Carolina’s youth to help the next generation make smart fiscal decisions. The NC Emerging Leaders is involved in a variety of efforts to raise awareness and spread this important knowledge, and the latest initiative will bring us one step closer to reaching that goal.

Teacher/Faculty FAQ

  • Do I need to request sign-ups for the entire week? 
    No! You only need to request sign-ups for days and times that are convenient for your class schedule and for the classes which would benefit from this budgeting lesson.
  • Am I guaranteed that all slots for my school will be filled? 
    Unfortunately, since this is a volunteer effort we cannot guarantee that all slots will receive volunteers. We do our best to fill as close to 100% of our slots as possible! It is important to note that if you have been approved for several classes, we cannot guarantee that all classes will be filled or that the same volunteers will register for all of your classes. For the classes that don’t have volunteers registered, we will provide teachers with the curriculum so that the students can experience the lesson.
  • What happens once I submit my sign-up requests?
    Once you submit your completed form, you will be notified on whether your school has been chosen to participate in this program. Your school will be listed on this website once volunteer registration goes live. If volunteers register for your class slot, Blair Kennedy will connect you to your banker volunteers
  • Who prepares the curriculum materials? 
    All teachers will receive the curriculum, and they are responsible for sending the items to their students. The game board is fillable, so no student will have to worry about printing the materials.
  • Do I assist the volunteers with the lesson?
    You are certainly welcome to! This lesson is designed to be highly interactive and encourage discussion between students and the bankers. This is a great time to talk students through goals, career ideas, higher education opportunities and more!

Volunteer FAQ

  • I’m interested in participating, but don’t see my county represented. Why’s that?
    Due to the large amount of requests in previous years, we have had to limit how many sign-up slots we offer. If you don’t see your county listed, it is because they either chose to not participate or we weren’t able to grant their request this year. However, each major area of North Carolina is represented, so we hope you can find a school nearby to volunteer at!
  • I’m interested in participating, but I’m not a member of the NC Emerging Leaders division and I don’t fall within that age range. Can I still volunteer? 
    Yes, we welcome all North Carolina bankers to participate in this initiative! You do not have to be a member of the NC Emerging Leaders to participate.
  • How do I get in touch with the teacher once I have registered? 
    Once all volunteer slots have been signed up for a particular class, Blair Kennedy will then connect the banker volunteers to the teacher and provide all training materials.
  • What if I don’t have a peer to volunteer with?
    You can register as just yourself! Usually another individual will register for the session as well, and you can teach the class solo depending on your comfort level.

Teaching Materials

Once volunteers have signed up for a slot at a school, they will be connected with the school contact. Volunteers will be sent the curriculum beforehand and will receive information from the school covering any additional details that the volunteer might need.

View the training presentation which explains how to facilitate the Dollar Decisions game and Budgets 101 lesson. Please note that the presentation contains audio – click the speaker icon on each slide to hear the instructions.

All curriculum and materials for day-of can be found below: 

Questions?

For questions, or to sign your school up for Bankers in Schools, please contact Blair Kennedy at the North Carolina Bankers Association at (919) 781-7979 or bkennedy@ncbankers.org.