FHB funds financial literacy program

First Hawaiian Bank announced a new program Monday to bring an award-winning financial literacy education program to Hawaii high school students.

The state’s largest bank is underwriting the initial three-year pilot program and is the first Hawaii bank to partner with EverFi Inc., a national education technology company, to implement an interactive, Web-based financial literacy course for isle students at no cost to the schools or taxpayers.

First Hawaiian Bank’s “MyMoney” financial literacy program is designed to provide high-school students with important money management skills needed to make sound financial decisions.

“Financial literacy is a critical life skill,” said First Hawaiian Bank Foundation President Sharon Shiroma Brown. “Concepts of savings, credit, investment, interest rates,and mortgages surround us all every day in every way. Hawaii students need this essential knowledge to empower them to make wise financial decisions in their lives.”

Five Hawaii high schools will be participating in the pilot program. The First Hawaiian Bank MyMoney program is launching this fall at Waianae, Farrington and Waipahu high schools. Two more Hawaii high schools will be added in the spring.

The Web-based learning course uses the latest in new media technologies — video, animation, 3-D gaming, avatars and social networking — to bring financial concepts to life for today’s digital generation. The 10-unit course offers more than six hours of programming aimed at teaching, assessing and certifying students in a variety of financial topics including credit scores, insurance, credit cards, student loans, mortgages, taxes, stocks, savings, 401(k)s and other critical concepts.