April is Financial Literacy Month, and Franklin County students are getting the chance to learn about it during their after-school programs.

Community Spirit Bank vice president Emily Mays and Franklin County Extension Agent Elizabeth Alonzo are visiting each of the county schools throughout the month to teach them about financial literacy and do a craft with them.

“Community Spirit Bank is excited to partner with the Franklin County Extension Service in bringing financial literacy to our county’s after-school programs,” said Mays. “Banking doesn’t have to be boring, and bringing it to the classroom is just one way of making it fun for the students.”

Mays said she talks to the students about the importance of saving and spending money wisely, what banks do, who works at banks and banking terms. She then plays a shopping game with the students that teaches them about cost and how to spend wisely.

“Learning these fundamentals early in life can help to start a lifetime of responsible money habits,” Mays said.

Alonzo spends time crafting piggy banks with the students to bring a fun activity and visual to the financial lessons. The banks are made of plastic bottles and decorated with pink paper and other accessories to make them true “piggy” banks.

“Many of them tell us they don’t have a piggy bank at home,” said Alonzo.

The students get to take home the piggy banks they created and start their financially-literate journeys.