Twelve Lynnfield High Students Join in Common Cents Competition

The Massachusetts Bankers Association (MBA) and five co-sponsors, including The Savings Bank, have launched “Common Cents,” a financial education competition featuring 100 high school students from around the Commonwealth, including nine students from Wakefield High School and 12 students from Lynnfield High School high school students. The program, recorded in December at the Massachusetts State House, is featured online for viewing at www.MassCommonCents.com.

This innovative financial education quiz-show is hosted by New England Cable News (NECN) anchor Mike Nikitas; radio celebrity Ashlee Feldman of JAM’N 94.5; and financial expert Jeffrey Fuhrer, executive vice president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. The program also includes special guest appearances by Matt Chatham, former New England Patriot and three-time Super Bowl Champion; Massachusetts Treasurer Deborah Goldberg; and Senator Sal DiDomenico of the Massachusetts Senate.

The “Common Cents” show includes 100 high school students from schools throughout the Commonwealth including: Barnstable High School; Dearborn STEM Academy, Boston; Dennis-Yarmouth Regional High School, South Yarmouth, Mass.; Haverhill High School; Jeremiah Burke High School, Boston; Lynnfield High School; and Wakefield High School.

In addition to streaming the program from www.MassCommonCents.com, classroom instructions and teaching materials are available on the website, and the program is being introduced to all schools and teachers statewide as a teaching tool. It is also being distributed to local cable access channels for the general public.

Joining The Savings Bank as supporters of “Common Cents,” are the MBA, Bank of America, Cape Cod Five Cents Savings Bank, Haverhill Bank, and the SUM Surcharge-Free ATM Program.

“Unfortunately, financial education is currently not required by all of Massachusetts’ high schools,” said Daniel J. Forte, president and CEO of the MBA. “The ‘Common Cents’ quiz show is a valuable opportunity for high school students -- or just about anyone -- to gain useable financial knowledge, and could serve as a model for some of the subject matter that should be taught in the future. It’s also a fun way to learn the personal finance skills we all need throughout our lives.”

The Massachusetts Bankers Association represents approximately 155 commercial, savings and co-operative banks and savings and loan associations with 69,000 employees located in Massachusetts and elsewhere in New England. Nearly 20 years ago the Association created the SUM Surcharge-Free ATM Program, which has saved consumers millions of dollars over the years and has spread across the country as part of the NYCE/FIS companies.