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Woodlawn third-graders get bank training

March 18, 2007|EMILY TOADVINE

Customers at the downtown National City Bank were a little surprised Friday to discover that their tellers had shrunk. The little people behind the counters were third-graders at Woodlawn Elementary School.

Barbara Matheny, a teacher at the school, came up with the idea for her students' field trip and worked with parent Danae Boyd, who is a district sales executive for National City.

"The whole idea is to show how to use math in everyday situations," Matheny says, noting that she wanted to expose the children to more than just a tour.

The children pieced together the money puzzle as they spent time not only working in bank positions, such as teller, but buying stocks, taking out loans for small businesses and balancing checkbooks at a reality store.

One of the students, Meghan Paynter, definitely enjoyed her time at the drive-thru window with teller Dusty Butler. When asked if she has decided what she wants to do when she grows up, she said, "Not really, but that may be the job."

In the area of stock options, the children invested heavily in their favorites: McDonald's, Coke and Sony. Student Peyton Carpenter had to take a hit on her McDonald's stock when people decided to start eating more healthy.

In the reality store, the children also had to face the music. After choosing occupations and buying a car, they had to deal with real-life expenses.

One girl was dismayed to have to pay $500 after becoming engaged. Another had to fork over $250 after her TV blew up from watching too many "Sponge Bob" episodes.

Trenna Cunningham, who normally is branch manager at the Hustonville Road location, but had come downtown to help out, says the bank liked the idea of working with the children.

"Anytime we can train people to balance their checkbook, we would love to help," says Cunningham.

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