Inside the Classroom: Norwin students learn banking basics

The fifth and sixth-graders at Norwin School District's Hillcrest Intermediate School are getting first-hand experience in the basics of banking by participating in the new Hillcrest Student Branch of the Norwin Federal Teachers Credit Union.

Every day, four student volunteers work as bank tellers at a makeshift teller counter set up in a classroom. They help their classmates make deposits and manage a savings account.

About 80 Hillcrest students bank with the credit union.

The goal of the program is to teach students about financial literacy, said teacher Paula Giran, who also coordinates the gifted program. Students also learned how to fill out a job application, write a resume and cover letter and participate in a job interview, she said.

Jamie Martines is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach her at jmartines@tribweb.com, 724-850-2867 or on Twitter @Jamie_Martines.