April is Financial Literacy Month, but there’s no end date to learning these important skills.
“And with the complexities of today’s economic environment, teaching financial education to youth has never been more crucial,” said Stephanie Martin, a Financial Wellness Coach at Greylock.
That’s why Greylock sponsors Banzai, an online financial education program that teaches real-world finance and practical life skills with a fun and interactive twist.
“Greylock has been sponsoring Banzai for all the schools in Berkshire County in grades 3 through 12 since 2010,” said Cindy Shogry-Raimer, Greylock’s Vice President, Director of Community Development. “Over the last decade, as Greylock expanded, we added the schools in Columbia County and the Pioneer Valley to our sponsorship, because we believe that financial literacy is an important skill that will follow you throughout every stage of your life.”
Through Banzai’s gamified interface, users are learning important lessons.
“It helps young people understand the value of money, the principles of saving, and the importance of budgeting,” Martin said. “This can lead to greater financial stability and security in adulthood.”
In the years that Greylock has been offering Banzai, more than 24,000 students have participated in the training. “In 2024, school usage was 2,180 in Berkshire County, 560 in Columbia County and 1,380 in Pioneer Valley,” Shogry-Raimer added.
Educators throughout Berkshire and Columbia counties, and the Pioneer Valley can access the free Banzai online education platform that allows them to build full lesson plans around it or supplement their existing content. This includes Personal Finance (grades 3-12) plus Digital Citizenship (online safety), and College and Careers (grades 9-12). If requested, one of Greylock’s financial wellness coaches may either visit a teacher’s classroom or schedule a virtual session to speak on a specific topic. Educators may access these resources at https://greylock.banzai.org/.
“By providing young people with the tools and knowledge they need to manage their finances, we are investing in their future success,” Martin said.
In addition to its offerings for youth, Greylock has expanded its partnership with Banzai to include online financial education programs, available on Greylock’s website, for any age group on topics such as, but not limited to, building your credit and buying a home. The site also offers a variety of free calculators, including a credit card payoff calculator, a mortgage estimation calculator, an auto loan payoff calculator, and much more.
“Our calculators were used over 62,000 times in the last two years,” Shogry-Raimer said, “with the auto loan affordability calculator being the most popular with over 39,000 uses.”
To learn more or start your own financial education journey, visit https://greylock.banzai.org/wellness.