 The partnership between Northrim Bank
and Fairview Elementary School has been
going strong for seven years, and the team
continues to come up with creative new
ways to work together for the benefit of
both parties. It’s especially exciting to see
a partnership that involves everyone: students,
parents, teachers, administrators,
bank executives, and branch employees…
everybody wants to participate! Northrim
volunteers and Fairview staff members
take the time to plan activities together,
and the students are the ultimate beneficiaries.
Northrim is an annual
presence at Fairview’s
Back-to-School Open
House, donating both
the food to eat and the
volunteers to serve it.
This isn’t the only time
families get to meet
Northrim employees,
since bank volunteers
return for many family
nights throughout the
year. At this year’s Family
Math Night, they created
a mini-course to teach
parents about credit. As
a result, many Fairview
families patronize Northrim Bank for their
personal finance needs. At Fairview’s quarterly
literacy nights, Northrim employees
donate time, products, and prizes.
Promoting literacy is an important goal
of this partnership. Northrim sponsors
Fairview’s Battle of the Books program,
providing books and t-shirts to the team.
Each month, classroom teachers select
a “Citizen of the Month” and the reward
is a recreational reading book donated by
Northrim. Since there are 21 classroom
teachers at Fairview, 21 different students
are given a book each month! One student
said, “I got to pick the book I wanted! I
love books!” Northrim employees also
donate their time as volunteer readers and
listeners. Fairview staff members enjoy
seeing the pride and care on the faces of
both the students and volunteers during these activities. |
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The partnership with Northrim makes it
easier for Fairview staff members to recognize
and reward positive student behavior.
Each quarter, Northrim provides citizenship
and academic achievement awards to one
student in every class. Certificates are presented
at a school-wide awards program,
where children happily accept their reward
in front of smiling peers, teachers, and
family members. Marc Robinson, Fairview
principal, said, “There is tremendous personal
satisfaction listening to the joy in the
voices of parents who get a call from the
principal, not because their child is in trouble,
but because their child is a successful
student leader.”
Fairview students provide artwork to
Northrim branches, and the school chorus
travels to the bank to entertain patrons
while they take care of financial needs.
The school mentions Northrim in its school
newsletters and other publications.
The effect of this partnership is truly
staggering. Fairview students come from
ten different ethnic groups, and speak 15
different languages. However, when the
Northrim employees and Fairview community
get together, the common language of
sharing is enjoyed. Everyone shares time,
laughter, and the rewarding sense of a job
well done!
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Students from left to right:
Desmere Nichols, Robert Williams, Antwanai Seay-Morland. Yelitza Hernandez, Kathy Hang, Darrell Salisbury (standing), Lorigene Ianu, Paul Seui, Junior Hernandez
Adults left to right: Hanna Johnson, substitute teacher, Denise Otaegui, bilingual tutor, Tammy Feris, Northrim Bank |
