CONTACT: Charlene P. Davenport, Marketing, 401-348-1363
DATE: October 24, 2006
Washington Trust Teaches Students How to Get Smart About Credit
October 24, 2006 (Westerly, RI) . . . As part of the American Bankers Association’s “Get Smart About Credit” day, 15 employees of The Washington Trust Company visited local high schools to teach young adults the importance of establishing and maintaining good credit. They taught high school students the difference between credit and debit cards, the cost of credit, budgeting and identity theft prevention. The employees visited nine high schools including Block Island School, Chariho Regional High School, Exeter-West Greenwich High School, North Kingstown High School, The Prout School, South Kingstown High School, Tollgate High School, and Westerly High School in Rhode Island and Stonington High School in Connecticut, and made presentations to 13 classrooms with approximately 400 students.
“Get Smart About Credit” day, founded by the American Bankers Association, is a financial literacy program presented by bankers across the country as part of a nationwide effort to help young people take charge of their personal finances.
“Washington Trust participates in ‘Get Smart About Credit’ day because we are committed to teaching young adults about the responsible use of credit,” said John C. Warren, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Washington Trust. “It’s a natural fit for us to visit classrooms to teach students how to get a head start on using credit wisely.”
Stephanie DaPonte, senior customer service representative
for Washington Trust’s Warwick Branch, teaches students at
Exeter-West Greenwich High School the importance of establishing
and maintaining good credit. Photo by Charlene Davenport.
The Washington Trust Company is a subsidiary of Washington Trust Bancorp, Inc., a $2.4 billion corporation headquartered in Westerly, Rhode Island. Founded in 1800, Washington Trust is the oldest community bank in the nation and is the largest independent bank headquartered in Rhode Island. A state-chartered bank, Washington Trust offers a full range of financial services, including personal banking, business banking, and wealth management and trust services, through its offices located in Rhode Island, southeastern Connecticut and Massachusetts. The Corporation’s common stock trades on The NASDAQ Stock Market under the symbol WASH. Web site address: www.washtrust.com.
