State Treasurer Riley Moore recently presented Hancock County Schools with the 2023 SMART529 Superintendent’s Award in recognition of having the most students in a county to enter the 2023 SMART529 "When I Grow Up" essay contest.
Hancock County Assistant Superintendent Dave Smith accepted the 2023 SMART529 Superintendent’s award on behalf of Hancock County Superintendent Dan Enich during a presentation conducted Thursday, October 12, at Oak Glen Middle School.
“I was honored to recognize Superintendent Enich, Assistant Superintendent Smith and all of the educators in Hancock County for their commitment to teaching their students about the importance of pursuing post-secondary education options – whether that is attending a four-year college, community college or trade school,” Treasurer Moore said.
The SMART529 When I Grow Up essay contest gives West Virginia students the chance to win up to $5,000 in SMART529 savings for higher education and teachers have an opportunity to win a $2,500 cash prize. More than 3,000 students across the state submitted essays during this year's edition of the contest, with Hancock County leading the way with the highest student participation rate of nearly 16 percent.
The participation rate is calculated based on the number of entries submitted by students in the county in relation to the total number of SMART529 When I Grow Up essay contest entry forms mailed directly to schools each January.
The grand prize winner of this year’s contest was also from Hancock County. Abigail Miller, who is in the 5th Grade at Oak Glen Middle School, was named the $5,000 Grand Prize Winner of the 2023 SMART529 “When I Grow Up” essay contest.
Miller was one of 15 regional winners of the essay contest and was randomly selected as the grand prize winner during the awards ceremony held September 15 in Charleston. Each regional student winner received $500 to invest into a SMART529 account. The grand prize winner receives an additional $4,500.
“We’re proud of the academic achievements of Abigail and all of our students attending Hancock County Schools,” Assistant Superintendent Smith said. “Instilling the importance of secondary education needs to start at the lower grade levels. Our staff does an excellent job promoting the contest and SMART529 college savings plan’s benefits and accessibility to our students, so they can grow their savings to pursue their future careers.”
Treasurer Moore recently announced the state’s SMART529 WV Direct college savings plan has again been ranked as the top direct-sold 529 plan in the country. SavingForCollege.com, a popular nationwide college planning website, analyzed the performance of more than 3,000 529 investment options and ranked the SMART529 WV Direct Plan first in the nation in 5- and 10-year performance during the most recent rankings covering the second quarter of 2023.
SMART529 is a qualified tuition program issued by the Board of Trustees of the West Virginia College and Jumpstart Savings Programs and administered by Hartford Funds. Complete information about SMART529 plans and investment options is available at www.SMART529.com.