Students describe future plans to snag scholarship money
Ask students what they want to be when they grow up and you’ll get some surprising answers.
State Treasurer John Perdue recently conducted the first-ever SMART529 essay contest in which students were asked to answer the question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”
More than 1,100 students entered the contest. State Board of Education Vice-Chair Priscilla Haden and West Virginia Independent Colleges and University President Paul Chewning judged the 100-word essays and picked 15 winners from five regions of the state in three grade categories.
The winners included a future archeologist, teacher, mayor and roller coaster designer. Each received a $500 SMART529 scholarship during a Wednesday ceremony at the Cultural Center. During the ceremony, Perdue conducted a random drawing to pick the winner of the grand-prize, which was an additional $4,500 scholarship.
Rosheka Beckford, a third-grade student at Conner Street Elementary School near Hurricane, won the grand prize. When she grows up she wants to be a doctor.
In addition to the students’ winnings, each elementary school with a winner will receive $500, bringing the total amount distributed during the contest to $19,500. Hartford Life, administrators of the SMART529 College Savings Plan in West Virginia, funded the contest.
SMART529 is a tuition program issued by the West Virginia Prepaid College Tuition and Savings Program Board of Trustees.
“A SMART529 college savings account is the best holiday gift that a parent or grandparent can give,” Perdue said in a prepared statement.
“Hartford and the Treasurer’s Office are proud to make the dream of a college education come true for these elementary school children.”
Haden said, “I was heartened to see that many of the entries were from students who would be pursuing careers that required math and sciences. There certainly are some future writers in the group, as well.”
Jeff Coghan, Hartford Life’s assistant vice president, said, “We are thrilled to partner with the Treasurer’s Office to promote college savings in West Virginia. Nothing opens the doors of opportunity like a college education.”
Perdue’s office said SMART529 accounts surpassed $1 billion in assets earlier this year. His office recently announced a lower fee structure and deposit requirement to entice more people to invest in the program.
In addition to the scholarship ceremonies at the Cultural Center, the essay winners were treated to a tour of the Governor’s Mansion and the Capitol.
They had the option of visiting the Clay Center later, with The Hartford picking up those expenses.
Contact writer George Hohmann at busin…@dailymail.com or 348-4836
