Durden Banking Company’s mini bank program is part of the bank’s efforts in community outreach and financial literacy.
The program started in 1987 and has been a highlight each year for local primary school students. Bank representatives visit the schools each week and assist the students as they make deposits into their savings account. This program gives students the opportunity to learn about the importance of saving money and other fundamental banking practices. The students are always excited to participate in the mini bank, and the children are amazed to watch their balances grow with each weekly deposit made. At the end of the 8-month program, each child receives a check for the total amount of their savings during the program. During this past school year, the mini bank program had 165 students enrolled from Twin City Elementary and Swainsboro Primary School.
This year, the mini bank Top Super Saver is Jocelyn Williams, who is a Star Honor Roll student in Carol Key’s second grade class at Swainsboro Primary School. Her favorite school subject is math. When Williams is not in school, she loves arts and crafts as well as playing with all her animals. She has a Rooster named Bojangles, two dogs (Rex and Colby), and several chickens and goats. When she grows up, Williams wants to run her own business and become the first female president. Her proud parents are Willie and Chondra Williams of Swainsboro.
Per bank president H. Wade Johnson, “Durden Banking Company looks forward to facilitating this mini-bank program each year. Our mini bank coordinators, Mrs. Deborah Griffin and Mrs. Jamie Phillips, do a wonderful job with this, and they love seeing the kids each week. We see this as an avenue to support our local youth and teach them at an early age the importance of saving money.”
