Jonesville, VA – On March 19, Virginia high school seniors will spend the day shadowing bankers at Powell Valley National Bank (PVB, Bank) as part of Bank Day, a statewide effort sponsored by the Virginia Bankers Association (VBA) Education Foundation and the VBA Emerging Bank Leaders. The purpose of the day is to expose students to the banking industry and provide an opportunity for the students to learn about banking, financial services and the vital role PVB plays in its community.
The third Tuesday in March was declared Bank Day by the Virginia General Assembly in 1991 and Powell Valley National Bank is proud to host students for this important program. From their experience, participating students will write an essay for the chance to win a scholarship. Six regional scholarships of $2,500 each will be awarded by the VBA, and from those six winners an overall statewide winner will be chosen. The statewide winner will receive an additional $5,000 scholarship – $7,500 in total. There will also be six honorable mention scholarships of $1,000 each. In all, twelve students statewide will receive scholarships totaling $26,000.
During their visit, the students will visit various bank departments, learn about the loan process, the importance of good credit, appropriate etiquette during a job interview, and how PVB is involved in the community.
“Bank Day is one of the best short-term, hands-on experiences for students—the opportunity to go inside the bank vault, to watch customer/bank officer interaction, to learn about the many services that banks offer, and to start the networking that often leads to part-time and summer jobs, scholarships, and a start on a career path in the financial world,” said Bruce Whitehurst, president & CEO of the Virginia Bankers Association.
“Our Bank is committed to the communities we serve, and our youth is certainly no exception. Bank Day offers high school seniors a unique opportunity to experience community banking, and learn about the significant role that our community banks play in the economic development and support of our communities. We are honored to partner with the VBA to offer this scholarship opportunity, and we are looking forward to hosting these students and introducing them to the world of community banking,” said Leton L. Harding, Jr, President, Chairman and CEO of Powell Valley National Bank.