LANSING, Mich. — In celebration of March as National Reading Month, LAFCU brought its Listen & Learn—All About Donuts program to Winans Elementary School in Lansing for a fun and educational event March 11. The Michigan credit union teamed up with Quality Dairy to offer first-grade students an engaging experience that combined reading, financial literacy, and hands-on donut decorating.
During the event, Phil Platte, marketing and category manager at Quality Dairy, read If You Give a Dog a Donut by Laura Numeroff to students. Following the reading, students eagerly lined up to receive their own bakers hats and aprons, getting into character as little bakers. To reinforce financial literacy concepts, each child received a pretend quarter to use for purchasing their donut. With their “payment” complete, they collected all the necessary supplies before diving into the fun of decorating their treats with colorful frosting and sprinkles.
“At LAFCU, we believe that learning should be engaging and memorable,” said Kellie Swiger, LAFCU creative director. “This event was a fantastic way to celebrate March as reading month while also introducing students to important financial concepts in a fun and relatable way. Seeing their excitement as they connected stories to real-world experiences was truly rewarding.”
That same week, LAFCU representatives also visited classrooms at Winans Elementary to read a variety of books, including My Lucky Day by Keiko Kasza, Grumpy Monkey by Suzanne Lang, A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Philip C. Stead, and Save It! by Cinders McLeod. These stories reinforced both reading literacy and financial literacy, helping students make connections between storytelling and real-world concepts.
LAFCU’s Listen & Learn Program was created to help young children build confidence in math and develop a better understanding of money through interactive experiences. By combining storytelling with real-world applications, the program continues to inspire young learners in a meaningful and engaging way.
