School opens 'bank' to 'deposit' good behavior

Shenzhen Mingde Experimental School Group recently opened a special bank for students to “deposit” good behavior, Shenzhen Evening News reported yesterday.

Students can convert their performances into dolphin banknotes and deposit them in the “bank” through a business hall, which is decorated like a real bank. Covering an area of 32 square meters, the Dolphin Bank of Mingde has three service windows: the exchange area, the personal business area and the corporate business area.

The business hall of the Dolphin Bank of Mingde. Courtesy of Shenzhen Mingde Experimental School Group

The amount of each student’s deposit will be displayed on a deposit book. The bank will regularly settle the interest according to the deposits, and students can also exchange these deposits for snacks, movie tickets, stationery, etc.

A "banknote" issused by the Dolphin Bank of Shenzhen Mingde Middle School. The school has so far issued six versions of "banknotes."

“Banknotes” issued by the Dolphin Bank are circulated within the school, forming a consumption loop. So far, the bank has issued hundreds of “banknotes” of six versions.

These “banknotes,” although not real money, can be used in many aspects of campus life. Students can buy daily-life gifts (such as stationery, cultural and creative articles) and activity gifts (such as photo tickets, drama tickets, garden activities, etc.)

Many of the Dolphin Bank's staffers are students of Shenzhen Mingde Middle School.

During school carnivals, students can buy food at the food stall with the special “banknotes,” and they can also deposit the “banknotes” for interest.

Lu Jiang, secretary of the Party committee and general principal of the school, said that the Dolphin Bank is a beneficial trial for the school to explore the socialization of moral education. The school encourages students to become “moral millionaires” by issuing the special “banknotes.”