SAN DIEGO, CA --(Marketwired - December 10, 2015) - BofI Federal Bank ("BofI" or "the Bank") has proudly taken part in McGrath Family JA Biztown events since June 2012. More than ten employees of the Bank have volunteered during this November and December to guide students in learning about economics, work readiness, and entrepreneurship.
BofI Federal Bank volunteers helped over 480 k-5 th grade students this year learn more about how to manage their money and what it takes to start and run their own business. BofI works with Junior Achievement in other ways including a standing donation to provide financial literacy curriculum kits to students at King Chavez Academy, located in Barrio Logan. Since 2014, sixty three BofI Federal Bank volunteers taught approximately 150 students about various aspects of financial literacy, including how to run their own small business, through a series of interactive games and tasks.
"Volunteers are the heart of Junior Achievement and we are so thankful for our friends at BofI Federal Bank, who share our passion for inspiring youth to dream for a bigger and brighter future," said Marla Black, President and CEO at Junior Achievement of San Diego County. "Because of their passion hundreds of fifth grade students from all over San Diego County learn the value of working hard and running a successful business through the JA BizTown program," she added.
BofI Federal Bank Volunteers -- Proud to give back to the community and help the leaders of tomorrow
At BofI Federal Bank we think actions speak louder than words. Community involvement is part of our corporate DNA and we provide a variety of opportunities for our employees to participate in volunteer activities throughout the year. Our commitment to the community is further expressed in the time and energy our employees devote each year to community service activities.
We are proud members of the vibrant San Diego community and as such, actively encourage our staff to prepare the next generation of students to compete in the global economy.
"I had a lot of fun helping and mentoring the kids on Friday! My partner was Ray and the kids we were assigned to were in the Channel 7 newsroom. They had to broadcast news about McGrath Family JA Biztown, as well as interview townsfolk, and read advertisements that were paid for by the other businesses. This is the first time I've volunteered for a children's school before, and I had a wonderful time! The kids were so creative and energetic! I loved helping them problem solve and guiding them to figuring things out and watching their faces light up when they come up with a solution. I love living here in San Diego and it makes me so happy to know that I am giving back to the community by helping all these bright young kids in their educational journey. I'm also thankful that I had this great opportunity to see the amazing McGrath Family JA Biztown space -- it was really cool and the business 'buildings' felt quite real." Cindy C: UI Designer; Marketing
"McGrath Family JA Biztown was a great event. When all of the adults walked into McGrath Family JA Biztown, we had the same reaction as the kids -- we were awestruck by the mini-San Diego. I was lucky enough to get assigned to the KPRI Radio Station, where I helped a team of four kids. The best part was helping the team develop playlists and giving them suggestions about how to make announcements, how to sell commercial air time to other businesses, and how to provide good customer service. I was really impressed by the enthusiasm and level of teamwork the students demonstrated. It was also nice to see my colleagues outside of the office and to help each other with our respective stations. This was my first experience with McGrath Family JA Biztown, but not my first time to participate in such an event. Supporting an organization that aligns with my values is important to me, and that support can be made financially and/or with my time. Volunteering with children is especially fun and rewarding. I find it gratifying to see them learn new things and to hear them provide fresh insights, so that I, too, learn something." Grace L: Project Operations Coordinator, Data Analytics
"My manager encouraged us to be part of it and I decided to participate. Once we were escorted to McGrath Family JA Biztown, I was impressed with the building and how well put together it was. I truly enjoyed watching the children engage in business practices and seeing how prepared they were. This was a great way to introduce children to the world of business and to help pave the way to adulthood, as well as giving them the confidence they need to go out into the real world and search for a job, balance a check book, and be whatever they want to be." Lilia N: Jr. Processing Specialist
"I've always been civic-minded and have worked with several notable charitable organizations in New York City and wanted to get involved in California. Even though I did not know much about McGrath Family JA Biztown prior to the experience, I was happy that I had the chance to volunteer. It was a wonderful experience working with the staff and seeing the bright young people engage in real world simulations. I think these experiences will be invaluable to the students as they grow up and decide their higher education and ultimately, career path. It was very meaningful that I could be part of their growth and support their learning through my own personal and professional experiences in leadership, finance, analytics and technology. Volunteering with McGrath Family JA Biztown was definitely a worthwhile experience and I look forward to future events." Kedar J: Marketing Analyst
"It was my first time volunteering at McGrath Family JA Biztown. I wasn't sure what to expect and I was definitely a little nervous. When we first walked through those doors the first word that came out of everybody's mouth was "Wow". It was like being at Universal Studios based on real life. I was assigned to help at San Diego Humane Society and mentored two girls, ages 9 and 11. I was impressed with how well-organized and prepared all the kids were and how dedicated they were to achieving the goals of the program. It was definitely a memorable experience for me and I would love to do it again!" Yekaterina D: Business Analyst, Data Analytics
About McGrath Family JA BizTown
McGrath Family JA BizTown is a 10,000 square foot mini-city where 15,000 fifth graders each year discover how to start and run a profitable business. Located at the Capdevilla Gillespie Center for Junior Achievement in San Diego, students are exposed to four weeks of curriculum in the classroom on how to be a good citizen, how a city's economy works, how to apply for a job and how to run a successful business. They then put their knowledge into practice by visiting JA BizTown. Each student works a job at one of 21 life-sized San Diego businesses. The students earn paychecks, open bank accounts, pay taxes, vote, and are challenged to earn a profit in their business. https://www.jasandiego.org/
About BofI Holding, Inc. and BofI Federal Bank
BofI Holding, Inc. ("BOFI") is the holding company for BofI Federal Bank, a nationwide bank that provides financing for single and multifamily residential properties, small-to-medium size businesses in target sectors, and selected specialty finance receivables. With approximately $6.3 billion in assets, BofI Federal Bank provides consumer and business banking products through its low-cost distribution channels and affinity partners. BofI Holding, Inc.'s common stock is listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol "BOFI" and is a component of the Russell 2000® Index and the S&P SmallCap 600® Index. For more information on BofI Federal Bank, please visit http://www.bofifederalbank.com
For more information about BofI Federal Bank Contact: Tyler McConvill Digital Marketing Manager 858-649-2000 Email contact
