- Georgia Bank & Trust Co. has created a program designed to urge Augusta schoolchildren to become regular savers and teach money management skills.

The bank's Student Money Achieving Rewards for Tomorrow savings program was started at the 482-pupil Wheeless Road Elementary School in October.

Angie Morales, the senior vice president of retail bank operations, said the bank deposited an opening gift of $1 into each child's account and provided each with a piggy bank.

Catherine Jones, an early intervention program teacher at Wheeless Road Elementary, said more than 180 pupils have signed up for the program.

"You should see the look on their faces when they line up with their piggy banks and the bankers count out their pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters," Dr. Jones said.

Bank President Dan Blanton said he hopes to expand the savings program into other area schools.

- The Augusta Technical College Foundation announced the establishment of the Gwinn Huxley Nixon Scholarship Endowment funded by a $25,000 contribution from Sally Nixon Hand, of Westport, Mass., in honor of her father. Interest earned from the endowment will fund an annual scholarship to a student in need.

Dr. Hand is a member of the Nixon family, of Augusta, and has had ties to the college for many years. The Nixon family in the 1990s gifted the land now occupied by Augusta Tech's 1300 and 1400 buildings.

The Nixon cabin, built by Dr. Hand's father, is on the main campus of Augusta Tech and is still used by members of the family.