Borrow Smart Alabama brings financial education to Hale County students

BIRMINGHAM, Ala., Feb. 8, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Borrow Smart Alabama, in partnership with the Oliver Robinson Foundation, is bringing its statewide financial education program to two Hale County high schools Friday. Since launching its financial literacy program in 2008, Borrow Smart has delivered seminars at junior colleges, high schools, universities and neighborhood organizations in Birmingham, Montgomery, Tuscaloosa and Huntsville.

Alabama Rep. Oliver Robinson, a Birmingham native who played in the NBA before a career in banking and financial education, will lead the seminars at Greensboro High School and Akron High School on Friday, February 8 at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. respectively.

Senator Bobby Singleton of Greensboro was instrumental in bringing the free financial literacy training to the two West Alabama high schools for the first time. Both schools are in the Hale County school district.

The seminar in Greensboro is part of a financial education day. Seniors are participating in an investment competition sponsored by the Council for Economic Opportunity. Students were given $100,000 in virtual money to the school for to invest in the stock market. In conjunction with the competition, Rep. Robinson will educate the students on responsible budgeting and credit. Juniors and seniors at Akron Community School will also be learning about making responsible financial choices.

In addition to the seminars, Borrow Smart offers an online education program at BorrowSmartEducation.com. The site offers online tips on budgeting, understanding credit and saving for the future.

"I work hard to impress on students that they need to take their personal finances seriously and begin budgeting even before they open their first checking account," Robinson said. "So many people get into financial trouble early in life and spend the next several years regretting their decisions as young people. It is hard for students to understand that a bad credit history can limit their opportunities for success dramatically."

The Oliver Robinson Foundation was created to empower Alabama's working families through community education. In addition to providing financial literacy training, the foundation publishes Community Reinvestor magazine. Distributed through the Alabama Department of Human Services, the magazine shares news about community programs available in the state.

Borrow Smart is an organization of more than 400 cash advance and title lending stores in Alabama that works to protect and educate consumers and to ensure fair treatment of customers. Charles Hunter, spokesman for Borrow Smart Alabama, said its ongoing commitment to community financial education demonstrates the organization's desire to be a part of the solution.

"Borrow Smart believes a strong Alabama economy begins with educating today's youth about financial responsibility and teaching them to simply budget their income and make saving part of their plan," Hunter said.

Borrow Smart Alabama is a not-for-profit trade organization with more than 400 member stores in the state of Alabama. Borrow Smart's mission is to educate our customers and the media about short term lending, to ensure fair treatment of customers and to honor them by protecting the future of our industry.

SOURCE Borrow Smart Alabama