First Choice Bank Provides Financial Literacy Program to Over 500 Students, Honors Graduates at Pasadena High School

First Choice Bank will honor 35 students at Pasadena High School for completing a financial literacy program designed to prepare students for their financial futures on Thursday, May 14. First Choice Bank has partnered with leading education technology company EverFi, Inc., to bring this interactive, web-based program to over 500 students at Pasadena High School and Anaheim High School this school year. First Choice Bank will provide the program to both schools again next school year as part of their commitment to financial education in Los Angeles and Orange County.

The ceremony will open with a welcome message from Principal Barraza followed by remarks from Bob Franko, First Choice Bank President & CEO. “First Choice Bank is proud to provide this innovative financial literacy curriculum to students at Pasadena High School,” he said. “It is critical that students learn these skills early and start making smart financial decisions before it’s too late. I hope that Pasadena High School will continue to embrace the program so that more students can benefit in the future.”

The ceremony will also include an interactive Q and A session between students and representatives from First Choice Bank, which included Linda Willis, SVP and Chief Risk Officer and Jae Park, FVP/BSA Compliance and CRA Officer. Students asked questions such as, “what is a good credit score?” and “what is the best way to start saving money?” The ceremony will then conclude with each student receiving a certificate of completion, which will be handed out by representatives from First Choice Bank. Students will also receive a notebook from the bank as a reward for their hard work completing the program. Gerald Phillips, Field Representative for Assemblymember Chris Holden, will attend and participate in the ceremony.

In order to receive the certificate of completion, students have to pass nine learning modules in the program with 70% or above on the post-assessment. Students were tested on topics such as: saving, budgeting, credit scores, taxes, insurance, identity protection and financing higher education. At Pasadena High School, the online course was integrated into the Economics class and used as a supplement to the existing personal finance curriculum. Thanks to the partnership between First Choice Bank and EverFi, Inc., the program was made available to Pasadena High School at no cost to the school district or taxpayers.

“It is critical that students learn to be smart and responsible with their money,” said Assemblymember Chris Holden, who expressed his support for program. “I am grateful to First Choice Bank for bringing this important program to Pasadena High School so that our students can be better prepared for their financial futures.”

About First Choice Bank

First Choice Bank, headquartered in Cerritos, California is a community focused financial institution serving diverse consumers and commercial clients and specializing in loans to small businesses, Commercial and Industrial (C&I) loans and commercial real estate loans with a niche in providing finance for the hospitality industry. The bank is a Preferred Small Business Administration (SBA) Lender. Learn more at www.firstchoicebankca.com.

About EverFi

EverFi, Inc. is the leading education technology company focused on teaching, assessing, and certifying K-12 and college students in the critical skills they need for life. The company teams with major corporations and foundations to provide the programs at no cost to K-12 schools. Some of America’s leading CEOs and venture capital firms are EverFi investors including Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos, Twitter founder Evan Williams, Rethink Education, New Enterprise Associates, Inc. (NEA), and Tomorrow Ventures (the investment arm of Google Chairman Eric Schmidt). Learn more at www.everfi.com.