Keith Lavimodiere, assistant vice president and branch manager of Washington Trust's Reservoir Avenue branch, teaches students at Cranston East High School the importance of establishing and maintaining good credit. Photo by Charlene Davenport.
October 28, 2008 (Westerly, RI). . .Students at Cranston East High School were surprised to learn how much an individual's credit score can impact an interest rate or even the ability to obtain a loan or credit card. As part of the American Bankers Association's "Get Smart About Credit" day, 12 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, the importance of credit scores, and budgeting. The employees visited Rhode Island high schools including Chariho Regional High School, Coventry High School, Cranston East High School, the Met School, Narragansett High School, South Kingstown High School, Tollgate High School and Westerly High School, and made presentations to 17 classrooms reaching approximately 475 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.
"Financial Literacy programs like "Get Smart About Credit" gives Washington Trust employees an opportunity to educate hundreds of high school students about credit," said John C. Warren, Washington Trust chairman and chief executive officer. "Teaching young adults about the importance of using credit responsibly, maintaining good credit scores, and budgeting, will help them to make smart financial choices later in life."
The Washington Trust Company is a subsidiary of Washington Trust Bancorp, Inc., a $2.7 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 business banking, personal 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.Corporation's common stock trades on The NASDAQ Stock Market under the symbol WASH. Web site address: www.washtrust.com.