May 23, 2025 – First Bank Chicago is proud to announce a collaboration with Honest Game whose mission is to empower student athletes to achieve their full potential, both on and off the field. Honest Game provides access to data that will guide students throughout their college and career journey.
 
This collaboration will support the development and implementation of Honest Game’s innovative AI powered chat function, a virtual counselor known as Cleo. Cleo is designed to provide valuable guidance and resources to student-athletes as they navigate their academic and athletic journey.
 
Cleo offers a unique and personalized experience, providing students with instant access to information and resources related to college recruiting, academic eligibility, financial aid, career planning, and much more. By engaging in natural language conversations with Cleo, users will quickly receive tailored guidance and support but always have the option of requesting an in-person conversation with a counselor.
 
“First Bank Chicago is committed to supporting organizations that make a positive impact on the lives of those in need. This collaboration marks a significant step forward in making financial literacy accessible and interactive for individuals of all backgrounds” said Denise Bryant, Director of Marketing and Community Outreach at First Bank Chicago. She further noted, “Honest Game's AI powered chat function allows the bank to creatively utilize technology to bridge the financial literacy gap and empower individuals to make informed financial decisions.”
 
Kim Michelson, Co-Founder and CEO of Honest Game, emphasized the importance of First Bank Chicago as a financial literacy partner, enabling students to confidently navigate critical financial decisions and build lifelong habits. “With the help of First Bank Chicago and its educational resources, we have transformed our virtual chatbot into a vital tool for high school students and their families as they explore college opportunities,” said Michelson. “Over the past two years, this chatbot has engaged with more than 2,600 unique users, providing upwards of 8,400 answers on everything from financial aid and student loans to academic eligibility and the college admissions process.”
 
Cleo is currently available to chat at https://honestgame.com/. Students, families, and school personnel can access Cleo for free and begin exploring a wide range of topics. Additional financial literacy information can be found at https://www.firstbankchicago.com/Financial-Literacy
 
About First Bank Chicago
First Bank Chicago provides full-service banking solutions for commercial and consumer clients throughout Chicagoland. Backed by 70 years of banking history, First Bank ranks as one of the five largest privately held banks in Chicago. Our experienced bankers utilize our personal service model to provide customized banking solutions without the bureaucracy of the megabanks.  First Bank’s deep culture of caring includes giving time, talent, and resources to all corners of our community.  Our bank has been named as one of the “Best Places to Work” by Crain’s Chicago Business in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024. We have also been named the “Best Banks to Work For” in the country by American Banker in 2024. To learn more about First Bank Chicago, visit our website at  https://www.firstbankchicago.com/.
 
About Honest Game
Honest Game transforms how schools engage and support students by leveraging co-curricular and extracurricular activities as a pathway to academic success. By fostering a sense of belonging and community, we help students stay on track and thrive - both inside and outside the classroom.

For athletics - the largest extracurricular - Honest Game’s educational software simplifies NCAA academic eligibility tracking with real-time automation across all five college divisions, making the process easy and transparent. Beyond athletics, the platform empowers all students to plan for their future, ensuring they can visualize and achieve success in academics, sports, or any activity that drives them forward.