Events

Pinckneyville Area Students Participate in Financial Literacy Month

Young people know more about texting, facebook & twitter than they do about budgeting and balancing a checkbook. So while schools prepare students for real world success, Murphy-Wall State Bank is focusing on helping young people develop skills for financial success.

The Month of April was Financial Literacy Month. During the month Murphy-Wall State Bank employees visited area grade school classes with financial lessons. The Teach Children to Save program uses lessons that bring together real life and classroom learning, incorporating hands-on scenarios and children's experiences to help them understand the basic principles of using money wisely. Lessons explore savings, budgeting, prioritizing and more. During the month of April, MWSB employees presented over 20 financial lessons that reached over 385 students. Murphy-Wall strongly believes that an early understanding of personal finance basics can help children develop positive money habits that will stick with them through adulthood.

TCTS is a national campaign of volunteer bankers who since 1997 have helped young people develop lifelong savings habits. Mrs. Tanner's 4th grade class from Community Consolidated #204 visited MWSB on April 23rd and on National Teach Children to Save Day, April 24th, 4th Grade classes from District #50 (Mrs. Rheinecker's, Mrs. Tegethoft's and Mrs. VanPelt's) along with Mrs. Klingenberg's 4th Grade Class from St Bruno Catholic Class were hosted by MWSB. Students were given a tour of the bank, watched a video on the Bureau of Engraving and Printing and Federal Reserve. They were given a Dollar bill to identify some of the characteristics of the $1 bills and discussed topics such as; budgets, expenses, income, interest and savings goals.

MWSB offers the following tips for money-savvy parents raising money-smart kids:

Set the example of a responsible money manager by paying bills on time, being a conscientious spender and an active saver. Children tend to emulate their parents' personal finance habits.

Talk openly about money with your kids. Communicate your values and experiences with money. Encourage them to ask you questions, and be prepared to answer them-even the tough ones.

Explain the difference between needs and wants, the value of saving and budgeting and the consequences of not doing so.

Open a savings account at your local bank for your children and take them with you to make deposits, so they can learn how to be hands-on in their money management.

Give your kids positive feedback. As they get older, give them responsibility over how they spend their money.

Murphy-Wall Introduces High School Students to Innovative Web-Based Financial Program

Murphy-Wall State Bank and Trust Company introduced a new initiative to bring financial literacy education to students at Pinckneyville Community High School and Murphysboro High School* by providing them with access to the EverFi Financial Literacy Platform. During the second semester, Mrs. Lietz's Resource Management Class at PCHS and Mr. Berry's Intro to Business at MHS were the pilot classes for this web-based program that uses the latest in new media technologies to bring financial concepts to life for today's digital generation. The 10-unit course aims at teaching, assessing and certifying students in a variety of financial topics. Through the EverFi platform, students will become more informed and financially responsible citizens. Murphy-Wall State Bank has partnered with EverFi, Inc. to bring the interactive financial management program to PCHS and MHS students at no cost to the school.

Murphy-Wall State Bank has a long standing commitment to Financial Literacy with the area grade schools and feels EverFi will be a continuation of that effort. With the EverFi program Murphy-Wall feels it is a great tool for financial literacy and will teach life skills for a complex financial world. The lessons will teach students money management for their future and make them better citizens, and doing it in a way that is fun and "techy", which is what they are used too. This is a way Murphy-Wall State Bank can show our commitment to the students of PCHS and MHS and the communities of Pinckneyville and Murphysboro.

*Murphysboro High School program is sponsored by Murphy-Wall State Bank And Trust and First Bank And Trust Murphysboro

Murphy-Wall State Bank PCHS Panther Spirit Challenge

For eleven season's Murphy-Wall State Bank has sponsored the "Panther Spirit Challenge" during each home varsity boy's basketball game. The challenge gives all PCHS organizations and clubs a chance to win $100 for their treasury. Each organization/club designs and creates a "Spirit Poster" for each home Panther game. Posters are displayed for judging in Thomas Gym with the winning organization selecting a representative to shoot during the games event. The challenge is done at half-time of the varsity game and consist of: 45 seconds on the clock, participant will have the chance to make consecutive shots, consisting of, a lay-up ($10), free throw ($35), three-pointer ($50) and half-court for ($100) (amount does not accumulate). Any organization that makes the half-court shot qualifies for the bonus shoot during the last home game. They will have one chance to make a half-court shot to earn $500 for their organization. The February 10th challenge was the "Rainbow Shoot". It consisted of 6 posters (each organization that submitted a poster chose two representatives to shoot in the evenings competition for $250 for their organization. With three minutes on the clock, the Rainbow Shoot begins at the free throw line, once a basket is made the participants step back and continue shooting until a basket is made, and so on. At the buzzer the organization that has made the farthest basket WINS! During the 2011-2012 season, Murphy-Wall State Bank contributed $945 to PCHS organizations that participated in the challenges.

PCHS Students Job Shadow At Murphy-Wall State Bank

Seven Pinckneyville Community High School students from Mrs. Genesio's Accounting classes visited Murphy-Wall State Bank, February 23, 2012 for the bank's 10th year of hosting a Job Shadowing event.

This program gives the students, many of whom did not realize there was more to banking beyond the teller line, new accounts desk and the lender's office, a chance to see the daily activities of a bank including a look at behind the scenes responsibilities of the employees. The day is filled with an abundance of information on banking and the different departments it takes to make the bank operate. In addition to the history of the bank and the bank's mission, the students (Shadows) were briefed on legislative, regulatory and operating practices of a financial institution. Shadows learn about the audit, security, compliance, marketing, data processing, networking, lending, customer service, administrative and executive departments of the bank and other hidden logistics that go into successfully operating a community bank.

Murphy-Wall thanks Mrs. Genesio and the PCHS administration for allowing the students to get a closer look at what happens beyond the lobby of the bank perhaps preparing a new generation to be the community bankers of the future. Marty Davis, President and CEO, indicates that "Bank Management understands the need to provide students with hands on knowledge of how skills learned in the classroom can be applied and knows the value of demonstrating that there are a vast range of careers available right in the student's own backyard." Job Shadowing provides valuable information on career options and will also allow them to integrate their experience at the bank into their personal life. Hard work and honest is emphasized to the Shadows as an integral part of the career process. The day not only allows the Shadows to see an operating business environment real-time, it also acts as a platform for getting student's career questions answered by Murphy-Wall officers and employee mentors participating in the event.

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Full Murphy-Wall Mardi Gras Float Link

2011 Mardi Gras WILD WILD WEST

This year's float depicts the Gold Rush mining days and a Wild West town complete with Gamblers & Saloon Girls. Our backdrop includes an exaggeration of The Exchange Bank of Murphy-Wall and Company building which had been located on the north side of the Pinckneyville Square in the late 1800's. Our guests of honor included our current Murphy-Wall State Bank and Trust Company's Chairman, W. K. "Bill" Crawford Jr. and his son, EVP Joe Crawford, both descendants of one of the original founders of the bank, W. K. Murphy.

Also don't miss seeing our Exploding Cave, Dynamite and Golden Ladies, the Gold Nugget children, Prospectors, and of course, the Wild West Steppers!

This year's float, costumes, and stepper routines took over 700 man hours to construct, choreograph and practice. Murphy-Wall is very appreciative of the dedication and contributions of the bank's staff and their families!

Customer Appreciation Day 2011

September 9, 2011 - Thank you to our customers who visited with us at our Murphysboro location.

September 16, 2011 - Pinckneyville location Appreciation Day will start at 11:00 a.m. Friday morning. Food and Drink will be served until 2:00 p.m. Customers are encouraged to stop by and get your free gift!

Murphy-Wall Donates Computer Bags to PCHS

Murphy-Wall presented the students at Pinckneyville Community High School with padded computer bags to carry their tablet PCs which are new for the 2011-2012 school year.

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