Reading Raises Interest Kits

The Wisconsin Bankers Foundation (WBF) provides free, easy-to-use kits each year for WBA member banks to use in conjunction with Teach Children To Save Day.

Check back regularly for updates on how to get this year’s kit!

The next annual Teach Children to Save Day is April 28, 2022.

As a result of the pandemic, many bankers came up with creative ways to advocate for the importance of financial literacy. Donations were made to schools and libraries, audio and video recordings of bankers reading the book were produced, and bankers once again let their innovation shine. This year’s kit will once again feature the book It’s a Habit, Sammy Rabbit! by Sam Renick. The book targets early readers in Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grades. In the story, Sammy Rabbit learns a huge secret from his Auntie Squirly that can help him rescue his family – Saving is a great habit! Will Sammy put this secret into practice and make a habit of saving for the future? Will he do it in time to help and rescue his family from an unexpected emergency? (Due to high demand, there is a limit of one kit per branch.)

New for 2021 is the Wisconsin Bankers Foundation’s collaboration with Sammy Rabbit to provide online learning resources. The “Reading Raises Interest Hub” provides you with a digital version of the book Sammy’s Big Dream as well as lots of downloadable content that include videos, sing-alongs, and more.

The Foundation is excited to help members successfully spread the word on the importance of financial literacy. We encourage bankers to record themselves reading the book and send the video to the teacher, along with instructions and activities for the students. To make this year’s distribution as easy as possible, the Foundation is also prepared to assist participants who need it. Using Zoom, we can record video or audio of the book being read and create a private YouTube link for your classrooms.

As part of 2020’s Teach Children to Save, several banks recorded videos of bankers reading money-related books for kids and created a portal for local teachers and families. See examples from Port Washington State Bank; Prevail Bank, Medford; and The Stephenson National Bank and Trust, Marinette.

Several digital resources to go along with this year’s book can be found at the bottom of this page.

Thank you all for your work to promote financial literacy in your community!

Questions? Please contact Hannah Flanders at hflanders@wisbank.com.