Over 150 parent volunteers and school officials who work with the Bank to administer its “Save for America” school banking program attended today’s festivities. Dean Bank sponsors its school savings program in the Bellingham, Blackstone, Millville and Franklin school districts, and starting next school year, will also sponsor the program in the Mendon-Upton school district. The banking program is designed to provide elementary and middle school students with an education in banking and the ability to actually do banking at their school on a weekly basis. The “Millionaire for a Day” contest is one of the vehicles used by the Bank to stimulate interest in the banking program.

Earlier in the day, the 23 student millionaires, along with their chaperones, were picked up at their schools in one of the four limousines which were provided by Cartier’s Funeral Home. Three of the limousines bringing students from Millville, Blackstone and Bellingham, accompanied by police escorts from those communities, linked with a fourth limousine at the Helen Keller Elementary School in Franklin. At the Helen Keller School, the “millionaires” were joined by another police escort from the Franklin police department, to form a spectacular motorcade en-route to the Bank’s main office. There, students received a private tour of the Bank. The “millionaires” were then shuttled to Pipinelle’s Restaurant in Franklin to join the volunteer luncheon. The parents and teachers of the millionaires were also invited to share their children’s fame for the day.

Nancy Davidge, Senior Vice President of Dean Bank, introduced the millionaires to the group and explained the contest rules. “If I were a Millionaire for a Day” poses a question to participating banking students as to what they would do if they had one million dollars. Entries were to depict good deeds and unselfish acts and were judged on originality, creativity and neatness. Students in kindergarten and grades 1 and 2 were required to create a poster while students in the higher grades entered with an essay. One first place prizewinner was selected to become a millionaire from each participating grade level in each of the four towns. These winners became millionaires for a day by having a million dollars actually deposited into their school savings account at the Bank. Each winner was allowed to keep the interest earned on the million dollars. Davidge presented each winner with a framed copy of their account statement, clearly showing the million-dollar transaction and balance in their account. Jane Curran,of Jane’s Frames in Franklin, graciously assisted with professionally framing the statements. The students will be able to predominantly hang their framed statement as proof that they were truly a millionaire for a day.

State Representative James Vallee, who also attended the luncheon, spoke to the young millionaires and congratulated each one of them with a citation from the Massachusetts House of Representatives. Congratulatory letters from both Senator Edward Kennedy and Congressman James McGovern were also presented to each student, along with a t-shirt from the Bank that said “Dean Bank Made Me a Millionaire!”

In addressing the gathering, Nancy Davidge expressed her gratitude to the parents and officials in attendance who have volunteered to bring a banking program to their schools. She explained that “the volunteers who assist with the program and the teachers who encourage the students to participate make programs like Save for America possible and encourage financial literacy within the schools.” To further show their appreciation, the Bank drew 10 teachers’ names from a drawing for a $50 Staples Gift Card, and 10 volunteers’ names from a drawing for $25 Shell gas cards.

The millionaire contest’s winning posters and essays will be on display for the next few weeks in the main lobby of the Bank’s Bellingham, Blackstone and Franklin offices.

The names of the winners are listed below:

Any parent in the Bellingham, Blackstone, Millville, Franklin or Mendon school districts who is interested in having their child participate in the Save for America school savings program or would like to volunteer with the program may contact their elementary school or a representative of Dean Bank.

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