In 1987, Bill Daniels founded Young Americans Bank as the world’s only bank designed specifically for young people 21 and under. He believed that America had the best financial system in the world and that everyone – young and old – should have access to that system. The Bank’s success was overwhelming and soon requests for programs, tours and presentations poured in from teachers and parents. To fulfill those requests and support the community’s interest in growing a financially savvy generation of young people, Young Americans Center for Financial Education was established. This nonprofit entity allowed delivery of educational programs for youth of all ages to enhance the bank’s financial mission. Supported entirely by community businesses, foundations and individuals, the programs of the Center are designed to complement and reinforce each other to build life skills, work skills and financial self-sufficiency. The Center’s programs include:
• Young AmeriTowne – a hands-on lesson in free enterprise that allows 5th grade students to run their own town of 17 businesses. A 34-lesson curriculum is integrated into daily school work to prepare students for their roles in Young AmeriTowne.
• International Towne – a one-of-a-kind program that introduces middle school students to the financial realities of the global marketplace and, after weeks of classroom lessons, allows them to run a “world” of 16 foreign countries.
• Get aHead for Business – a 2-semester entrepreneurial program for high school students develops entrepreneurial thinking through classroom lessons and hands-on experience starting and running a real business in school.
• Young Entrepreneurs Marketplace, Running Your Own Biz and Be Your Own Boss summer camps, and the Celebration for Young Entrepreneurs business competition offer entrepreneurial opportunities for youth to learn and experience the ins and outs of owning a business.
• Summer Camps and Money Matters classes provide a variety of financial lessons and activities to engage and educate kids of all ages. Since inception, nearly 600,000 youth have benefited from holding accounts at the Bank and participating in the nonprofit programs of the Center.
