BBVA Compass delivers high-tech tools, NBA stars to Rusk School to promote financial education

- Rockets' Donatas Motiejunas joins Bruce Bowen, others to teach money basics

- Bank also donates 36 tablets to the STEM magnet school in city's East End

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Mar 03, 2016, 05:06 ET

Houston Rockets' Donatas Motiejunas works with students at The Rusk School as part of BBVA Compass' Future Builders Program.

BBVA Compass Chairman and CEO Manolo Sanchez is all smiles as he gives a student a lesson in financial literacy.

BBVA Compass corporate logo

HOUSTON, March 3, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- BBVA Compass today delivered some high-tech tools and high-altitude NBA stars to Houston's Rusk School to help the STEM magnet school in the city's East End prepare its students to compete academically in the 21st century.

BBVA Compass, the Official Bank of the NBA, teamed up with Houston Rockets power forward Donatas Motiejunas, bank brand ambassador and three-time NBA Champion Bruce Bowen and other NBA greats at the school as part of the BBVA Compass Future Builders Program. The program captures the bank's desire to give everyone — including young students — a roadmap to a bright future.

"Rusk is a special place, with amazing students full of so much potential and teachers who give their all every day," said BBVA Compass Chairman and CEO Manolo Sánchez. "What we're doing is bringing to bear BBVA Compass' own expertise in financial education and giving the students the knowledge and tools they need to build the brightest of futures."

The Future Builders program uses technology firm EverFi's web-based financial literacy program to teach students healthy financial habits and basic money management skills at an early age. The bank also donated 36 tablets and one tablet-charging cart to Rusk.

Former Rockets players Robert Horry and Houston native John Lucas were also on hand for the event. The NBA stars visited classrooms and computer labs at Rusk, where they talked to students about the importance of staying in school. BBVA Compass volunteers, meantime, spent time in classrooms teaching EverFi's Vault financial education course to Rusk students.

Each year, the bank brings the Vault program to schools across the BBVA Compass footprint at no cost to the schools or school districts. The course features interactive lessons, games and story-based activities that challenge children to make choices in real-life scenarios to best achieve important goals around saving and job planning.

"It sends a powerful message that we can come together with the business community and find creative ways to bolster Rusk's mission," said Dan De Leon, principal of The Rusk School. "I appreciate everything BBVA Compass and the NBA have done in our school and community, and I'm so proud of the students for embracing the opportunity to learn and grow."

BBVA Compass and the league's global social responsibility program, NBA Cares, partner to promote financial literacy to students. Since 2013, the joint financial literacy initiative has reached nearly 16,238 students in Houston, and more than 69,000 students across the U.S. — many of them located in low-income communities.

About BBVA Group
BBVA Compass is a subsidiary of BBVA Compass Bancshares Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of BBVA (NYSE: BBVA) (MAD: BBVA). BBVA is a customer-centric global financial services group founded in 1857. The Group has a solid position in Spain, is the largest financial institution in Mexico and has leading franchises in South America and the Sunbelt region of the United States. Its diversified business is geared toward high-growth markets and relies on technology as a key sustainable competitive advantage. Corporate responsibility is at the core of its business model. BBVA fosters financial education and inclusion, and supports scientific research and culture. It operates with the highest integrity, a long-term vision and applies the best practices. The Group is present in the main sustainability indexes. More information about the BBVA Group can be found at bbva.com.

About BBVA Compass
BBVA Compass is a Sunbelt-based financial institution that operates 666 branches, including 340 in Texas, 89 in Alabama, 73 in Arizona, 61 in California, 45 in Florida, 38 in Colorado and 20 in New Mexico, and commercial and private client offices throughout the U.S. BBVA Compass ranks among the top 25 largest U.S. commercial banks based on deposit market share and ranks among the largest banks in Alabama (2nd), Texas (4th) and Arizona (4th). BBVA Compass recently earned top nods for best mobile app and best regional bank in the South & West in Money magazine's annual list of the Best Banks in America. Additional information about BBVA Compass can be found at bbvacompass.com, by following @BBVACompassNews on Twitter or visiting newsroom.bbvacompass.com.