Lowell Five start Smart Savings Program pays off for new Searles School in Nashua, NH

Tewksbury, MA – For over 50 years, Lowell Five has been working with local schools to help teach students good savings habits. The Start Smart Savings program educates students in the basics of banking, interest and planned savings to attain a goal that each student sets for his/her self. Each week, a Lowell Five courier visits participating schools to collect individual student deposits for their Lowell Five Savings accounts. Participating students receive a monthly statement showing each transaction and interest earned. As students watch their savings grow and they get closer to their goal, the students realize the benefits of planned savings and hopefully develop a lifelong habit.

To encourage school participation and parental awareness of the Start Smart Savings Program, Lowell Five partners with University of Massachusetts – Lowell Athletics Department to sponsor a contest offering prizes to the classroom, and to the school, with the highest percentage of returned Start Smart Saving Program forms. The winning classroom wins a UMASS – Lowell student athlete-led gym class, UML t-shirts for all, and a $250 cash donation from Lowell Five to purchase school supplies. The winning school wins a cash prize of $500 from Lowell Five, and tickets to a UMASS – Lowell River Hawks basketball game at the Tsongas Center provided by UMASS – Lowell.

This year New Searles School in Nashua, NH is the winner of both awards. UMASS – Lowell mascot, Rowdy the River Hawk visited the school on Friday, April 6, 2018, to present Mr. Hansen’s 5th Grade Class with their $250 prize and their t-shirts during their UMASS Lowell Athlete led gym class. Lowell Five Branch Manager, Michael Sheahan and Lowell Five courier, Eileen Augustus joined Rowdy in presenting school principal, Jay Harding with the $500 school award. Students at New Searles attended a UMASS – Lowell River Hawks basketball game earlier this year.