Oak Valley Community Bank Celebrates Innovative Investment in Schools During Financial Literacy Month

OAKDALE, CA--(Marketwired - Apr 20, 2016) - Oak Valley Community Bank, a wholly owned subsidiary of Oak Valley Bancorp (NASDAQ: OVLY), in celebration of Financial Literacy Month, Oak Valley Community Bank announced that its schools-based financial education program is making a positive impact on students' understanding critical financial topics. Data collected from nearly 1,100 high school students who completed the program in the 2014-2015 academic year revealed that students' understanding of financial topics increased by an average of 41% after interacting with the curriculum.

OVCB University of Finance is a web-based interactive course designed to empower young people with the essential skills needed to make sound financial decisions. Oak Valley has partnered with leading education technology company EverFi to bring this interactive program to four area high schools in Stanislaus and San Joaquin County.

Oak Valley originally launched Patterson and Ripon High Schools in 2013 and later added Escalon and Oakdale High Schools to the program. Thus far, for the 2015-2016 academic year, OVCB University of Finance has reached nearly 900 high school students. The goal is to provide schools, teachers, and students, a media program that will better prepare students and build skill sets for making good financial decisions.

According to recent EverFi survey data, children in the US primarily develop their financial attitudes from their parents through family discussions and learning by example. However, a FleetBoston Smarter Decisions Survey cites that 74% of parents don't feel prepared to teach their children about money and over 40% of parents don't talk to their children about money at all. These statistics support the need for financial education in a school setting, where all students have an equal opportunity to learn essential financial skills. OVCB University of Finance is implemented in a co-curricular basis, providing students with the opportunity to develop healthy financial attitudes and behaviors in a classroom setting.

"Oak Valley Community Bank believes that financial education during a youth's formative years leads to positive financial behaviors later in life," stated Chris Courtney, President & CEO, of the bank. "By providing high school students with the knowledge and skills they need to make smart financial decisions, we are investing in the future economic well-being of the communities we serve."

Oak Valley has partnered with EverFi to bring the program to local students at no cost to schools or taxpayers. The web-based program uses the latest in simulations and gaming to bring complex financial concepts to life for today's digital generation. The high school course offers over six hours of programming with ten units in a variety of financial topics including credit scores, insurance, credit cards, student loans, mortgages, taxes, stocks, savings, 401k's and other critical concepts that map to national financial literacy standards. The platform uniquely tracks the progress and performance of every student.

About Oak Valley Bancorp and Oak Valley Community Bank
Oak Valley Bancorp operates Oak Valley Community Bank & Eastern Sierra Community Bank, through which it offers a variety of loan and deposit products to individuals and small businesses. Established in 1991, they currently operate through 16 conveniently located branches: Oakdale, Turlock, Stockton, Patterson, Ripon, Escalon, Manteca, Tracy, two branches in Sonora, three branches in Modesto, and three branches in their Eastern Sierra Division, which includes Bridgeport, Mammoth Lakes and Bishop. For more information call 1-866-844-7500 or visit online at www.ovcb.com.

About EverFi
EverFi, Inc. is the leading education technology company focused on teaching, assessing, and certifying K-12 and college students in the critical skills they need for life. The company teams with major corporations and foundations to provide the programs at no cost to K-12 schools. Some of America's leading CEOs and venture capital firms are EverFi investors including Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos, Twitter founder Evan Williams, and Google Chairman Eric Schmidt. Learn more at everfi.com.