Astoria Federal Savings Announces Top Winners of Its Seventh Annual Teach Children to Save Essay Contest

LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., Aug. 23, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Astoria Federal Savings recently held its seventh annual Teach Children to Save Essay Contest.  Nearly 1,000 children, ages 5-12, participated in the contest by completing the statement: "If I save a lot today, in the future I could..." This contest was part of the fun and educational Teach Children to Save celebrations conducted in every neighborhood branch throughout Nassau, Suffolk, Brooklyn, Queens and Westchester.

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"We were thrilled to see so many children participating in this contest and thinking about their financial futures," said Astoria Federal Savings Executive Vice President Brian Edwards.  "The contest is a fun way to get children to understand the importance of making smart financial choices, and we were amazed by the thoughtfulness of their responses.  As they get older, we hope they will continue to recognize that saving money and having a solid plan will help them to fulfill their dreams."

Most of the young writers wrote that they wished to make the world a better place. Others' plans included saving money for college, helping their families financially, saving the environment, stamping out hunger and disease, aiding veterans and helping those less fortunate.

Of the essays received, judges selected seven top winners and one local winner from each branch location. The grand-prize was awarded to 11-year-old Zane Daniels of Lynbrook who received a new laptop computer, which was presented at an awards reception attended by local branch managers and senior bank management.  Adding to the excitement, Zane's School Principal, Mrs. Lucille McAssey, from Waverly Park Elementary in the Lynbrook School District was presented with a laptop for the school's use.

In his essay, Zane wrote that with his savings he plans to invent an ocean filtration system to preserve the marine environment. "My filtration device would travel the seven seas, cleaning the planet...it would make life better for both land and sea species." Zane points out that such a device is needed because "Millions of people lack access to a clean water supply and billions of cases of diseases are attributed to unsafe water."

Three first-place winners were chosen, and each received a $250 American Express^® gift card. They are:

• 7-year-old Iris Rosenhagen of Selden, Suffolk
• 10-year-old Amber Ringle of Medford, Suffolk
• 11-year-old Jonathan Louie of Syosset, Nassau

Three second-place winners were chosen, and each received a $100 American Express^® gift card. They are:

• 5-year-old Mathieu Brown of Canarsie, Brooklyn
• 8-year-old Molly Landers of Malverne, Nassau
• 11-year-old Alex Lampa of Whitestone, Queens

Every child who was selected as a local winner from their community branch won a $25 American Express^® gift card, a Teach Children to Save Celebration Award Certificate and medal. All of the winners were invited to their local Astoria Federal Savings branches to receive their awards.

Astoria Federal Savings' Education First initiatives include special Student Savers accounts, the Kids Tools for School Collection Drive to help prepare disadvantaged children for the first day of school by providing them with new school supplies, and The First Home Club™ to promote saving and homeownership for first-time buyers. These programs and others were all designed to encourage lifelong learning. For additional information about Astoria Federal Savings' Education First financial literacy programs, please call 1-800-ASTORIA.

Astoria Financial Corporation, with assets of $17.6 billion, is the holding company for Astoria Federal Savings and Loan Association.  Established in 1888, Astoria Federal, with deposits in New York totaling $10.7 billion, is the largest thrift depository in New York and embraces its philosophy of "Putting people first" by providing the customers and local communities it serves with quality financial products and services through 85 convenient banking office locations and multiple delivery channels, including its enhanced website, www.astoriafederal.com.  Astoria Federal commands the fourth largest deposit market share in the attractive Long Island market, which includes Brooklyn, Queens, Nassau, and Suffolk counties with a population exceeding that of 38 individual states.  Astoria Federal originates mortgage loans through its banking and loan production offices in New York, an extensive broker network covering fourteen states, primarily along the East Coast, and the District of Columbia, and through correspondent relationships covering fifteen states and the District of Columbia.

SOURCE Astoria Federal Savings