Please note that on Tuesday, May 14 all locations will close at 3:00 pm for a bank-wide staff meeting. As always, our ATMs and online and mobile banking services will be available for your convenience.
At Bay State Savings Bank, we know that the earlier children build the foundation for financial wellness, the brighter their futures will be, which is why we partner with local schools and their students to provide them with the money management tools they’ll need to make better financial choices as they grow. In addition to children, we also work with senior citizens, helping educate them on the signs of financial scams and providing them with the knowledge of what to look for to avoid becoming a victim.
Meet Lauren!
Lauren Piehl, Assistant Vice President – Learning and Engagement, is a Certified Financial Education Instructor℠ through the National Financial Literacy Council and has been in banking for more than eight years. Lauren is passionate about empowering individuals of all ages with financial literacy knowledge and helping set them up for future financial success.
Learn About Financial Literacy as a Family.
Benjie’s Buddies, a fun way to engage children and teach them the importance of good money habits, is a bi-monthly workbook provided to families to help them kick-start their child’s learning experience. Each workbook contains engaging activities for kids, along with materials for parents, to help educate and enhance your family’s financial education. By completing the Benjie’s Buddies workbook, we hope your family can establish great financial habits that will last a lifetime.
SUBSCRIBE TO BENJIE’S BUDDIES
Financial Literacy Programs in Local Schools
Lauren regularly visits local schools to teach students about financial literacy and the importance of forming good money habits early on. Our mascot Benjie can often be found joining in on the fun. Participating schools include The Guild of St. Agnes, Our Lady of the Angels, Bryn Mawr Middle School, and Auburn High School. Through these partnerships, Lauren has helped countless students learn about the importance of financial literacy and how to put themselves on the path to financial success.
Community Trunk or Treat
As a way to help local families celebrate Halloween safely, as well as provide financial literacy resources to youth, Bay State Savings Bank held its first Trunk-or-Treat in October of 2023. The event saw over 500 local youth, and due to its overwhelming success, the Financial Literacy team has pledged to make it an annual event.
Read Alongs with Benjie
In addition to working within the schools, Lauren frequently hosts Read Alongs with Benjie, open to children accompanied by a caregiver. These engaging and interactive events are ideal for children between the ages of 4 and 10, and have been a great way to help local youth kick-start their financial wellness journey.
Working with Senior Citizens
Technology has been a great tool for many, but it can also be dangerous, especially for our senior citizens. In addition to working with youth, Lauren also spends a considerable amount of time with seniors, helping them learn how to spot and avoid falling victim to scams, especially financial scams. Through our partnership with the Central MA Agency on Aging, Lauren continues to help seniors stay safe when it comes to their finances.