IBC Bank-McAllen employees are spending this spring using their professional expertise to teach local students the fundamentals of financial literacy. McAllen is joining IBCs across Texas and Oklahoma partaking in Financial Literacy Month and the American Bankers Association’s Teach the Children to Save initiative.

IBC Bank-McAllen is providing 17 presentations to a total of 300 students. The presentations include real-life exercises like paying a mortgage, buying groceries and budgeting for emergencies. Bank officers close the presentations with tips on how to save money and why saving for the future is important.

“Financial literacy is a critical life skill that is essential to the success of individuals and communities,” says IBC Bank-McAllen President & CEO Adrian Villarreal. “IBC’s efforts to bridge the financial literacy gap facing our community is ongoing, but we are particularly proud of the work we are doing to provide financial literacy support to our school-aged citizens.”

IBC Bank employees have been providing financial education classes to students since 2007. IBC does provide financial literacy courses to schools and community groups year-round, However, April and May are dedicated to help young people develop a savings habit early in life. This year, IBC Bank employees and officers will provide 177 presentations to 5,197 students across the bank’s two-state footprint.

“With 189 facilities in 89 communities across Texas and Oklahoma, we are reaching thousands of children and teens,” says Dario Gutierrez III, IBC Bank financial literacy coordinator. “Our employees utilize real-world examples, like the cost of cooking at home versus eating out, to show students the value of saving. We are arming these young people with important knowledge that will benefit them as they make their way through school and beyond.”