VALENTINE, Neb. - Banks are popping up in an unexpected place across Nebraska: inside school hallways.

Dozens of school districts statewide now offer in-school savings programs designed to introduce students to banking at an early age. One of those programs operates each week inside Valentine Elementary School.

Kindergartener Gabe Markley recently made a deposit many adults would recognize — a crisp two-dollar bill.

“My dad gave it to me. I earned it. I did two chores,” Markley said.

His money went into the Badger Branch of Sandhills State Bank, a student-run banking program housed inside the school. Each Thursday morning, students can bring in cash to deposit, learning the basics of saving along the way.

Fourth-grader Kade Arganbright volunteers as a teller, gaining hands-on experience behind the counter.

“I’ve learned how to better count money,” Arganbright said.

The Valentine branch is part of a growing trend across Nebraska. According to the Nebraska Council on Economic Education, nearly 90 schools now participate in similar in-school banking programs.

“It’s not necessarily about how much money they save,” Zane Limbach, market president of Sandhills State Bank in Valentine, said. “It’s creating the habit, so when they get older, they’re more apt to save or have a checking or savings account.”

Students who leave Valentine Elementary — either by transferring schools or completing fourth grade — receive a check for the full amount they’ve saved.

Research shows the approach works. Studies indicate students who participate in school banking programs are more likely to have bank accounts in high school, and high school students with accounts are more likely to save regularly.

Student involvement extends beyond the elementary level. In addition to fourth-grade tellers, high school business students also help operate the branch, gaining real-world financial experience.

For students like Markley, the lesson is simple.

“You get to put money in there,” he said, “and at the end of the school year, you get to take the money out.”

Across Nebraska, educators and bankers hope those small deposits today will grow into lifelong financial habits tomorrow.