THE TASSEL

As a board member of our local school, I am blessed to have one of the best seats in the house for graduation.  This year was no exception.  As I began walking on the freshly mowed grass still saturated with morning dew, I became an emotional rollercoaster. Was it the fact that between my toes, fresh grass was now stuck, and I was wearing my favorite new shoes?  Was it the familiar music of “Pomp and Circumstance" that was connecting my emotional memories to my own graduation?

While both of these may have contributed, I was simply overwhelmed thinking how blessed I was to have a front row seat and witness these seniors, some of which had been on the Pelham Banking Company’s Youth Advisory Board for four years, graduate.  I thought about the role Pelham Banking Company had played as I watched hundreds of parents, grandparents, friends respectfully stand as their loved ones’ names were called. These young men and women proceeded across the stage to receive their diploma and I literally wept.  The opposite emotional ride came when I recalled a recent article I read that stated some critic of financial education claim that financial behavior ‘rarely changes” as a result of financial education.

Is this true?  I mean these young people and I had recently “cash mobbed” a local restaurant to show community support for goodness sakes.  I had taught some of these students in the 5^th grade how to operate a lemonade stand, balance a budget in high school and while in kindergarten many had their first visit to the bank to learn about Safe Deposit Boxes.  Was all of our efforts in vain? 

Just as these thoughts were running through my mind, it happened. One of my “favorite” seniors, announced “seniors turn your tassels” and it was like a wink from above.  I realize just as each one individually turned their own tassel, each will ultimately make their own financial decisions, every one of them held this prized possession in their hands.  The tassel made of top quality silk and threads placed upon their heads has a historical background of by simply possessing such fine materials indicates you're wealthy and influential and the turning indicates you are ready for what lies ahead.

Yes, Pelham Banking Company, just like everyone else, had guided them to this moment. I left smiling knowing the tassel was now in their hands and the grass under their feet was indeed green and still between my toes.

Respect Shown is Respect Taught

As I spoke to many students during the month of April as part of the National Teach the Children to Save initiative, I witnessed several attempts by faculty and staff to encourage the students to show respect.  One school’s administrator simply “clapped” and asked for a clap response from the elementary school students when she felt they were getting too loud.  This worked so well, I wondered if I could try this with my grandchildren.

The second school was quite different, mainly due to a different age group.  I noticed a teacher carrying hats.  When I questioned the reason for the hats, she stated the school had a policy of “no hats” allowed in the building and when two students continued to disrespect the rule, she confiscated the hats with the intent to later allow them to retrieve the hats from her room at the end of school.

While both of these techniques obviously were means of teaching students respect, I couldn’t help but wonder how these students might act when no clapping is present or when no one tells them to take off their hat.

The answer was then affirmed to me when I received a picture from our recent Women in the Workforce Luncheon of myself and a dear sweet friend.  Looking at this picture I was thankful that someone took the time to show me how to be respectful. This picture was not rehearsed as I didn’t even know it was being taken.  I was simply doing what came natural.

Therefore, I am convinced that many students will instinctively hear a clap when someone begins to speak, some will envision their hat being removed as they walk into a building and some will even hear their mother’s voice saying, “remember to bow your head and close your eyes when someone is praying”.