Seventh and eighth grade students in public, private, and home schools have until April 20 to submit entries in the 9th annual Essay Contest associated with the Nebraska College Savings Program. The contest is sponsored jointly by the Omaha Storm Chasers Baseball Club and the Nebraska State Treasurer's Office.
This year's contest entries should address the theme, “Why I Want to Go to College.” The theme was chosen to encourage students to recognize the value of a college education by writing about their educational goals and their dreams for the future. Information about the contest is available through local schools and on the State Treasurer website at www.treasurer.org. Click on the College Savings Program tab.
Winners from Nebraska will receive tickets to the Storm Chasers baseball game on Sunday, May 22, as guests of State Treasurer Don Stenberg. Each first-place winner also will receive $1,000 toward one of Nebraska's College Savings plans and a one-night stay in an Omaha area hotel. Each second-place winner also will receive $500 toward one of the Nebraska College Savings plans, and each third-place winner also will receive $300 toward one of the plans.
First-, second-, and third-place winners will be selected from each of Nebraska's three Congressional Districts and from entries submitted by students living outside Nebraska. Winners from outside of Nebraska will receive monetary prizes for first-, second-, and third-places. Prizes are courtesy of the Omaha Storm Chasers and the State Treasurer's Office.
Essays should be submitted to Andrea Stava, community relations manager for the Omaha Storm Chasers, 12356 Ballpark Way, Papillion, NE 68046. Entries must be postmarked by April 20. The following guidelines apply:
Families can easily save for their children's college educations through the Nebraska College Savings Program. Plans allow for tax-free investments, and qualified withdrawals are federal and state income tax free. Account owners qualify for up to $5,000 a year in state income tax deductions.*
Nebraska's College Savings Program provides four qualified tuition plans under Section 529 of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code. The four plans in the Nebraska Educational Savings Plan Trust are the NEST Direct College Savings Plan, the NEST Advisor College Savings Plan, the TD Ameritrade 529 College Savings Plan, and the State Farm College Savings Plan. The Nebraska State Treasurer is the Program Trustee, and First National Bank of Omaha is the Program Manager. All investments are approved by the Nebraska Investment Council.
For more information about the essay contest or the Nebraska College Savings Program, visit the State Treasurer's Office website at www.treasurer.org.
*Account owners who are Nebraska taxpayers: your contributions up to $5,000 ($2,500 if married filing separately) are deductible in computing your Nebraska state income tax.
About NEST
NEST is a tax-advantaged 529 college savings plan and provides four plans to help make saving for college simple and affordable: NEST Direct College Savings Plan, the NEST Advisor College Savings Plan, the Bloomwell 529 Education Savings Plan, and the State Farm 529 Savings Plan. The Nebraska State Treasurer serves as Program Trustee. Union Bank & Trust Company serves as Program Manager, and all investments are approved by the Nebraska Investment Council. Families nationwide are saving for college using Nebraska’s 529 College Savings Plans, which have more than 285,000 accounts, including over 94,000 in Nebraska. Visit NEST529.com and treasurer.nebraska.gov for more information.
