First Bank & Trust Company Proud to Sponsor Meadowview Elementary School for Virginia Reads One Book

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Mar 09, 2020, 08:58 ET

ABINGDON, Va., March 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 35,000 public school students and their families from across Virginia are reading the same book on the same schedule during March. It's all part of Virginia Reads One Book — a statewide family literacy program designed to strengthen the educational connection between home and school from Richmond-based Read to Them. First Bank & Trust Company is a proud sponsor of this program at Meadowview Elementary School where more than 580 students and staff are participating. First Bank & Trust Company CEO, W. Mark Nelson, attended a kick off ceremony that was held last Friday, March 6^th where he read to local students.

W. Mark Nelson, Chief Executive Officer
First Bank & Trust Company — W. Mark Nelson, Chief Executive Officer First Bank & Trust Company

"At kick-off events in each school, students will receive their own copies of The Toothpaste Millionaire to take home and read with their families," says Read to Them Interim Director Bruce Coffey. "Students and their families read a chapter each night at home, coordinating with classroom and school-wide activities. Reading a common book together turns out to be a terrific way to unite a school community and increase parental involvement. Reading aloud at home ensures students come to school prepared to read and to succeed - in school and in life."

"We are proud to again be a statewide sponsor of Virginia Reads One Book. The program not only boosts students' reading abilities, but it shows them reading is fun in an atmosphere that strengthens family and community interactions," says Bruce Whitehurst, president and CEO of the Virginia Bankers Association. "With the support of First Bank & Trust Company, the school receives a book for every student and complimentary staff copies, both family literacy and financial literacy activities, school assembly suggestions, teacher resources, and both family and community engagement tools. These resources turn a book into a community experience so everyone can enjoy and share the story."

W. Mark Nelson, CEO of First Bank & Trust Company stated, "We are thrilled to sponsor Virginia Reads One Book this year, which builds on other financial literacy efforts that we have going in our community. We were drawn to this program by not only the financial literacy focus of the book, but also the idea of bringing families together."

Other statewide program sponsors include the Virginia Bankers Association Education Foundation, Virginia Council on Economic Education, GoNoodle's Blazer Fresh, The Washington Redskins Charitable Foundation and Tackle Reading.

For the current list of participating schools in your area, please email [email protected].

About Read to Them

Read to Them is a Richmond based non-profit promoting family literacy. A growing body of research shows that children who are read to learn to read more easily and become better readers. Literacy skills provide the basis for a lifetime of learning and productivity. For more information visit www.readtothem.org.

About Virginia Bankers Association Education Foundation

The Virginia Bankers Association (VBA) formed the VBA Education Foundation in 2007 with funding from the majority of VBA member banks. The Foundation's mission is to improve personal financial literacy and economic education in all public and private schools in the Commonwealth. The Foundation recognizes the importance of economic education and financial literacy in Virginia and supports the banking industry as a key participant in these areas. For more information, visit www.vabankers.org/vba-education-foundation.

About First Bank & Trust Company

First Bank & Trust Company, one of the top community banks in the United States, is a diversified financial services firm with office locations in southwest Virginia, northeast Tennessee, and New River and Shenandoah Valleys. Financial objectives are addressed by offering free checking products for personal and business accounts, and assessing lending solutions managed by mortgage, agricultural and commercial lending divisions. Comprehensive financial solutions are available through trust and brokerage service representatives.

For more information, visit www.firstbank.com or contact Nicole Franks [email protected]

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Nicole Franks
First Bank & Trust Company
Corporate Communications
[email protected]

Monica McDearmon
Virginia Bankers Association
804-819-4743
[email protected]

Bruce Coffey
Read to Them
804-310-1214
[email protected]

SOURCE First Bank & Trust Company