Historically Black High School in North Carolina Opens a Bank on Campus

Hillside High School, one of the few remaining historically black high schools in North Carolina, has opened a Student Bank Training Center, a fully functioning bank on its campus that prepares students for the future and promotes financial literacy.

Operated by an official staff of service representatives, Hillside’s bank offers a range of services, including checking and savings accounts, not only to students but also to staff and families. It is an official branch of Woodforest National Bank, which operates nearly 80 branches across North Carolina. It is the first branch within a high school.

Even better, this particular branch gives students enrolled in Hillside’s Business and Finance Academy the opportunity to gain practical experience through internships at the bank.

“Hopefully this will generate more interest in students wanting to learn more about the Finance Academy, especially those students considering careers in accounting or finance. They will undoubtedly see Hillside High School as a premier destination for their education,” Priscilla Ross, head of the Business and Finance Academy, told WUNC.

The impact of the financial literacy program is already being felt among the students. One of them, Kiara Lowther, who serves as a loan officer at the bank, said, “Before I took this class, I used to spend money on fast food and a lot of pointless stuff. But Ms. Ross showed us how to balance our money and how to save up.”