Leaders in Financial Education Recognized at Convention

5/9/2025

The Nebraska Bankers Association presented the Leaders in Financial Education (LiFE) Awards at the NBA Annual Convention in La Vista. The awards are given in recognition of efforts by banks and bankers to promote financial education in their communities.

The following were honored for their outstanding contributions to financial education:

LiFE Honors List
Banks that meet at least seven of a list of criteria, including hosting interns, operating an in-school savings bank, giving financial literacy presentations and other activities, are named to the LiFE Honors List.

Bruning Bank, Bruning
Cornerstone Bank, York
Flatwater Bank, Gothenburg
Generations Bank, Exeter
i3 Bank, Bennington
RVR Bank, Fremont
Union Bank & Trust, Lincoln

Presentation Award
One bank from each of the three deposit size categories is eligible for this award. The categories are: Small, $100 million or less; Medium, $101 to 350 million; and Large, $351 million or more. The banks that receive this award have made the largest number of Get Smart About Credit, Teach Children to Save and other financial literacy presentations.

Small – Countryside Bank, Unadilla
Medium – i3 Bank, Bennington
Large – Cornerstone Bank, York

Bank Innovation Awards
An NBA-member bank received this award for implementing an innovative way to improve financial literacy in its community.

Union Bank & Trust, Lincoln

Union Bank & Trust
Union Bank & Trust in Lincoln partnered with CEDARS Youth Services to provide monthly financial literacy workshops for families facing challenges related to financial stability, stable housing and other basic needs. Poverty is often considered a leading predictor of child maltreatment. Each month, parents of vulnerable families with children met with bank staff for educational sessions on banking, budgeting, debt management, establishing and increasing credit, income tax credits, stretching grocery dollars, job searching and employer benefits, fraud and scam awareness, and creating a guardianship plan for young children. To help reduce barriers that often lead to parents not taking advantage of these workshops, childcare, a meal and financial compensation were provided. Participants received a check and budget books at the conclusion of the workshops.

Career Award
This award is presented to a banker who has been an asset to leading the bank's financial literacy efforts for at least five years.

Cindy Slykhuis, RVR Bank, Fremont

Slykhuis has led RVR Bank's financial literacy efforts for the past 20 years. She currently oversees the operation of four in-school savings bank programs at Linden Elementary School, Archbishop Bergen Elementary School and Trinity Lutheran School in Fremont and Arlington Elementary in Arlington. Slykhuis coordinates the bank’s efforts toward presenting financial education programs at schools from daycare to college in Fremont, Arlington and Blair and leads RVR Bank’s participation in a variety of local outreach activities. She maintains strong relationships with local FBLA chapters in Arlington and Blair, as well as with Midland University in Fremont. She is active with the Fremont Area United Way “Hats Off to Literacy” fundraising luncheon for the Dolly Parton Imagination Library Program, generating a 308% increase in the number of youths enrolled in the program in a two-month period. Slykhuis also organizes the bank’s sponsorship of the Fremont Area Chamber of Commerce Leadership Fremont Program, as well as Leadership Midland, the Youth Leadership Academy, and the Washington County Leadership Program. In 2023, she received the Literacy Award from the Fremont Area United Way.