Seventh and eighth graders who love baseball, like to write, and want to go to college are encouraged to enter the 14th annual “Why I Want to Go to College” writing contest sponsored by the Nebraska State Treasurer’s Office and the Omaha Storm Chasers. The deadline is March 18.
“We are looking forward to awarding a total of $14,000 in NEST college savings accounts to 12 winners and to hosting the Nebraska winners at the May 1 Storm Chasers game at Werner Park in Papillion,” Treasurer Stenberg said.
Nebraska Educational Savings Trust, or NEST, is Nebraska’s state-sponsored 529 college savings program. Treasurer Stenberg is Trustee, and First National Bank of Omaha is Program Manager.
First-place winners each receive a $2,000 contribution to a NEST college savings plan. Second-place winners each receive a $1,000 contribution to a NEST plan, and third-place winners each receive a $500 contribution to a NEST plan. Three winners are chosen in each of Nebraska’s three Congressional Districts, and three winners are chosen from outside Nebraska. Nebraska winners each receive four tickets to the Storm Chasers game on May 1.
“Every year we are impressed with the big plans that seventh and eighth graders share in this writing contest,” Treasurer Stenberg said. “We are also struck by the students’ references to their families, teachers, neighbors, and friends who inspire and motivate them to work hard and do well. Contributing to a NEST college savings account for a child, grandchild, niece, nephew, or friend can go a long way to making these big plans reality.”
Treasurer Stenberg is encouraging all seventh and eighth graders in public schools, private schools, and home schools to enter. A total of 1,064 entries was received last year. Preliminary judging is done by students and faculty in the College of Education at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, and final selections are made by Treasurer Stenberg.
The following rules apply to contest entries:
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.
