Health & Fitness
Sharon Student Honored at State House Ceremony
An East Elementary student was awarded $2,000 in college savings during a State House ceremony.
BOSTON – An East Elementary student was awarded $2,000 in college savings during a State House ceremony for finishing second in a statewide art competition. Savannah Eastler of Sharon illustrated an underwater archeologist when asked to depict “What do I want to be when I graduate from college?” in the 9th Annual College Savings Art Competition sponsored by the Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority (MEFA).
The nine student winners shared a total of $24,000 in prize money distributed to each in a U.Fund College Investing Plan account, the Massachusetts 529 college savings plan offered by MEFA, which works to help families plan, save and pay for college, and managed by Fidelity Investments. To see the winning artwork and the complete list of the winners, visit www.mefa.org/contest.
The College Savings Art Competition is open to all Massachusetts students in grades K-5, from public, charter, private and home-based schools. First-, second- and third-place winners in three age categories receive $5,000, $2,000 and $1,000 respectively.
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The ceremony was held on May 29 to celebrate National 529 Day, which highlights the importance of saving for college in 529 college savings plans because of the numerous benefits and tax advantages over other savings options.
Parents can start a U.Fund account with a low initial investment of $50 or $15/month with no restrictions on income. Additionally relatives and friends can contribute to a single account benefiting a child.
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For more information about the U.Fund and other programs sponsored by MEFA, visit www.mefa.org.
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About MEFA
MEFA is a not-for-profit self-financing state authority, not reliant on state or federal appropriation that has been working for over 30 years to make higher education more accessible and affordable for students and families in Massachusetts. MEFA was created by the state legislature at the request of Massachusetts colleges and universities and provides community education programs, college savings plans, and low-cost financing options. In its over 30 year history, MEFA has assisted hundreds of thousands of families in financing a college education.
