Winners in the 2019 “Why I Want to Go to College” contest, sponsored by the Nebraska State Treasurer’s Office and the Omaha Storm Chasers, were announced today by Nebraska State Treasurer John Murante. The winners will be recognized Sunday, May 5, before the start of the Storm Chasers game at Werner Park in Papillion.
“It is exciting to be able to recognize our writing contest winners at Werner Park on Sunday and to present each of them with a contribution to a Nebraska Educational Savings Trust (NEST 529) college savings account. This is the 17th year of this contest for seventh and eighth graders, and, like in past years, the quality of the students’ writing, their clarity of vision for their futures, and their expressions of gratitude to parents, siblings, teachers, and mentors were tremendously impressive,” said Treasurer Murante, Trustee of NEST.
Winners receive contributions to NEST 529 college savings plans, ranging in value from $500 for third place, $1,000 for second place, and $2,000 for first place. Three winners were chosen in each of Nebraska’s three U.S. congressional districts. Three winners from outside Nebraska also were chosen.
Students were asked to reflect in their written entries on the value of education and what they hope to achieve through higher education. Winners of the 2019 contest and their hometowns are listed below:
1st Congressional District — Nebraska
| First: | Danica Jacobs | Wisner |
| Second: | Cameron Becker | Lincoln |
| Third: | Alison Tilson | Lincoln |
2nd Congressional District — Nebraska
| First: | Avery Neneman | Omaha |
| Second: | Andrew Weelborg | Springfield |
| Third: | Sophie Thompson | Elkhorn |
3rd Congressional District — Nebraska
| First: | Jackson Block | Hampton |
| Second: | Harmon Johnsen | Sutherland |
| Third: | Gus Elliott | Burwell |
Outside Nebraska
| First: | Chongming Liu | Aurora, OH |
| Second: | Chloe Timmons | Murray, IA |
| Third: | Riley Long | Afton, IA |
About NEST 529
NEST 529 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 297,000 accounts, including over 97,000 Nebraskans. Visit NEST529.com and treasurer.nebraska.gov for more information.
About First National Bank of Omaha
First National Bank of Omaha is a subsidiary of First National of Nebraska. First National of Nebraska and its affiliates have more than $23 billion in assets and 5,000 employee associates. Primary banking offices are located in Nebraska, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, South Dakota and Texas.
