In-school banking program.

• Position: ABAMN 2007 Financial Marketing Awards: Financial Education, First Place, Asset Size #1 Billion to $5 Billion - Brief article

Institution: Sandy Spring Bank, Olney, Md.

The purpose of the bank's In-School Banking Program is to promote financial education as well as to accomplish community outreach. The program was retooled recently to teach children about banking in a "real world" atmosphere, with hands-on participation by the children. The bank works with 23 area elementary schools as partners.

Bank representatives work with the school's administration to organize an in-school "bank," communicate with parents, and train student "tellers" to perform deposit transactions. Each week, after the deposits are collected, the tellers learn how to settle accounts at the school's bank.

The program reinforces math skills, gives children a sense of responsibility in handling money, and...