PBS Reno Receives $12,500 Grant from U.S. Bank Foundation
To schedule a PBS Reno Curiosity Classroom workshop, email education@pbsreno.org
RENO, NV (SEP 14, 2026) – PBS Reno is pleased to receive a $12,500 grant from U.S. Bank Foundation to support Curiosity Classroom Financial Literacy workshops in Title I schools.
“We build strong communities when people have opportunities to connect, create and be active,” said Arturo Pérez, Community Affairs Manager at U.S. Bank. “By supporting organizations like PBS Reno, we’re helping make communities more vibrant and inclusive.”
PBS Reno Curiosity Classroom workshops include an engaging video clip, a read aloud, and fun hands-on activities. Each lesson is aligned to the Common Core Standards, Next Generation Science Standards and Nevada Academic Content Standards. All materials are supplied and a trained facilitator leads each 45- to 60-minute workshop.
During the 2025-2026 school year, PBS Reno delivered 6,873 workshops to 130,378 students in nine school districts in northern and central Nevada and northeastern California.
“We are very grateful for the support from the U.S. Bank Foundation for PBS Reno’s Curiosity Classroom Financial Literacy workshops,” said Nancy Maldonado, PBS Reno Vice President of Education. “This financial support will help us continue to teach ideas like how to budget, about coin combinations, adding and subtracting decimals when using money, and expenses and profit. These workshops are important for students to learn all about our money system and about how to use money wisely. These skills are even more important today when most parents are not paying for things with cash but rather using debit cards or their phones to transfer money.”
PBS Reno currently offers nearly 50 different workshops for students in preschool through 4th grade, with several workshops based in financial literacy:
Benny’s Pennies – Preschool
When Benny asks his family members what he should buy with his five new pennies, each one gives him an idea. After this delightful book is read, children will learn about the attributes of a penny through hands-on observation. A counting game will give the children practice counting 1-10 cents. Students will learn to identify a penny and a nickel.
Counting Coins — Kindergarten
In this fun lesson, students will focus on counting money and shopping. Students will use pennies, nickels, and dimes to purchase the parts needed to build a bike. The lesson will conclude with a fun game of money BINGO!
Trading Up — Grade 1
This lesson is an excellent introduction to how to “trade” several smaller valued coins for larger coins. They will start with pennies and as they earn more, they will trade them for nickels, then dimes, quarters, and then a dollar. Once a dollar is earned, they can buy their class special “merchandise.”
Alexander’s Money — Grade 2
Children can relate to Alexander’s quandary. Alexander somehow spends his money in a very short amount of time. Students are charged with the task of keeping track of Alexander’s money. They explore different coin combinations and play a game comparing coin values
Pigs Will Be Pigs — Grade 3
This lesson focuses on counting money and making choices within a budget. Students will solve problems involving decimals when adding and subtracting monetary values. The read aloud encourages the students to calculate how much money is found by the Pig family. Then they will be asked to order from the menu and stay within a budget.
More Bang for Your Buck — Grade 4
After winning a shopping spree at the local supermarket, Mrs. Pig has to figure out the value of all her goods. The lesson focuses on economic concepts. Students will play a game and keep a running total to maximize the value of a shopping spree.
For more information about PBS Reno Education Services and PBS Reno Curiosity Classroom workshops, call 775.600.0551 or email education@pbsreno.org.
About PBS Reno
In fiscal year 2024-2025, PBS Reno reached 592,189 monthly viewers in northern and central Nevada and northeastern California across several platforms including three broadcast channels (PBS Reno 5.1, Reno Create 5.2, and PBS KIDS on PBS Reno 5.3), a YouTube channel, YouTube TV, online, livestreams, and digital platforms. PBS Reno provides PBS national programming and award-earning, locally-produced content, with many local segments posted weekly to PBS Reno’s YouTube channel. PBSReno.org provides engaging interactive content, including the video portal at watch.PBSReno.org that streams all locally-produced content and most PBS national content. PBS Reno serves students, teachers, parents and caregivers through immersive educational services including Curiosity Classroom workshops that bring classroom lessons to life with standards-based lessons and activities. Through the support of local corporations and foundations, as well as thousands of individual members, PBS Reno has been delivering public television and educational services to the communities it serves since September 29, 1983.
About U.S. Bancorp
Headquartered in Minneapolis, U.S. Bancorp is the parent company of U.S. Bank National Association, the fifth-largest commercial bank in the United States. Our three major business lines serve 15 million clients globally, and our team of nearly 70,000 people invest our hearts and minds to power human potential every day. Ranked 110th on the Fortune 500, we are deeply respected for our culture and long-term stewardship and admired for our diversified business mix and product capabilities.
Contact us:
Membership Questions: membership@pbsreno.org
Programming Hotline: programming@pbsreno.org
Phone: 775.600.0555
Address: 1670 N. Virginia St. • Reno NV 89503