$26,000 in scholarships awarded by Virginia banks

The Virginia Bankers Association Education Foundation has announced the winners of the 2019 VBA Bank Day Scholarship Program.

After spending a day shadowing at one of the 36 banks that participated across the Commonwealth, students were asked to write an essay about their experience for the opportunity to win a college scholarship. The following students had the winning regional essays and will receive $2,500:

• Capitol Regional Winner: Yashodhara Varma, Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School, Essex Bank
• Central/Southside Regional Winner: Caleb Todd, Craig County High School, Bank of Botetourt
• Eastern Virginia Regional Winner: Rachel Clarke, Lancaster High School, Virginia Commonwealth Bank
• Northern Virginia Regional Winner: Heledana Ekubezghi, T.C. Williams High School, Burke & Herbert Bank
• Southwest Virginia Regional Winner: McKenna Jordan, Castlewood High School, New Peoples Bank
• Valley Regional Winner: Seth Furry, Turner Ashby High School, Pendleton Community Bank

The six regional winners will now be entered into the statewide essay contest. The winner of the statewide contest will receive an additional $5,000 for a total of $7,500 towards their college education.

An additional six, $1,000 honorable mention scholarships will be awarded, one in each of the regions. The following students were chosen as the honorable mention winners:

• Capitol Honorable Mention Winner: McKenzie Elim, James River High School, Union Bank & Trust
• Central/Southside Honorable Mention Winner: Krutik Nigam, Carlisle School, Blue Ridge Bank
• Eastern Virginia Honorable Mention Winner: Regan Smith, Norfolk Christian, TowneBank
• Northern Virginia Honorable Mention Winner: Rossen Colov, Patriot High School, Burke & Herbert Bank
• Southwest Virginia Honorable Mention Winner: Rainni Crutchfield, Chilhowie High School, New Peoples Bank
• Valley Honorable Mention Winner: Emily Daggett, Turner Ashby High School, Pendleton Community Bank

“The twelve students who won scholarships through this program were chosen from the more than 550 students that participated in total,” said VBA President and CEO Bruce Whitehurst. “Their essays proved that their experience on Bank Day helped them to gain an understanding of how banking works and how important it is to be equipped with effective money management skills. We are proud of their achievements and wish them luck as they begin their college careers.”

VBA Bank Day is a statewide effort sponsored by the VBA Education Foundation and the VBA Emerging Bank Leaders. Bank Day began when the third Tuesday in March was declared Bank Day by the Virginia General Assembly in 1991. 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 banks play in their communities.

Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton commended VBA Bank Day by entering a resolution into the Congressional record on March 14, 2019.  You can view the resolution here.

Visit www.vabankers.org to learn more about the VBA Bank Day Scholarship Program and other efforts to promote economic and financial education for Virginia’s students. To see pictures of the event and all the work that bankers do in their communities, please click here.