May 13, 2004

People's Crossroads Plaza Branch Partners With American School For The Deaf To Teach Financial Skills

WEST HARTFORD, CONN. - Five students at the American School for the Deaf are receiving an education about personal finance in the best possible learning environment - at People's Bank's Bishop's Corner branch.

The students, ages 14-18, also have emotional and physical disabilities, according to Kirsten Lingenheld, a teacher in the school's PACES program. The students receive a small stipend for behavior reinforcement, Lingenheld explained, and the check each student receives is cashed on accounts opened at the Bishop's Corner branch.

By opening checking and savings accounts, the students are gaining valuable life and social skills through banking transactions most people take for granted, Lingenheld explained. They learn banking vocabulary, how to maintain a passbook, cash a check and fill out withdrawal and deposit slips as well as how to interact with other customers and bank employees.

"People's employees are always happy to see the students when they come in," said Lingenheld, "and that's very important because taking part in a common experience like banking makes them feel like they are part of the community."

Ermira Puka, a People's Bank senior financial services associate, who helped Lingenheld set up the program, has received thank-you notes from the students, one of whom wrote that "with my money at the bank, I feel proud to have a savings book."

Founded in 1817, the American School for the Deaf is the oldest school for the deaf in America, and is the only school in Connecticut exclusively devoted to the education of deaf and hard of hearing children. The school is located on a 54-acre campus in West Hartford. A private, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, ASD relies on a combination of private and public support to provide comprehensive educational services free of charge to deaf children, youth, adults and their families.

The American School for the Deaf was the first school in the United States to employ deaf teachers. It was the first special education school to receive state aid for primary and secondary education, and was also the first to receive federal support. The first deaf superintendent of a school came from ASD's faculty. ASD instituted the first vocational education program for deaf students, and it continues to offer the only rehabilitation program for deaf adults in New England. It also offers one of the few programs for emotionally disturbed deaf children in the U.S. American Sign Language was born at ASD, spreading throughout the United States as early students and teachers-in-training completed their studies and went on to teach at other schools for the deaf.

The American School for the Deaf continues to provide comprehensive education and numerous related services to deaf students and their families from Connecticut, other states, and foreign countries. In recent years, the school has greatly expanded its Outreach and Support Services, bringing specialized expertise to deaf and hard of hearing students and professionals in partnership with local school districts. For more information about ASD checkwww.asd-1817.org.

People's (peoples.com) is a diversified financial services company providing commercial, consumer, insurance and investment services. Founded in 1842, it is the largest state-chartered bank in Connecticut with assets of $11 billion, 154 branches and more than 240 ATMs. People's is a leader in consumer and commercial banking, residential lending, insurance sales, and supermarket banking. People's subsidiaries offer brokerage services, asset management, equipment financing and leasing, and insurance services.