Bethany Whetzel (second from right) with the Georgia Office of State Treasurer, presented Dunbar Elementary School student Jer’Riyah WIllingham (middle) with a check for $1,529 to invest in her Path2College 529 Plan Savings Account. Photo credit: Adrian Williams, APS ©
Jer’Riyah Willingham, a Pre-kindergarten student at Paul Laurence Dunbar Elementary School, took an important step toward her education when she received a $1,529 check to invest in her Path2College 529 Plan Savings Account.
The funding was awarded as part of the We Care Child Care Sweepstakes, a state-funded initiative conducted by the Georgia Office of the State Treasurer in partnership with the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning.
The Path2College 529 Plan is Georgia’s exclusive college savings plan, managed by TIAA-CREF Tuition Financing, Inc. (TFI). It offers a tax-advantaged way for families to save for an array of qualifying educational expenses, including tuition, textbooks, computers, room and board, and even certain K-12 expenses. It can also be used for future student loan repayment.
“Georgia Path2College is Georgia’s exclusive college savings plan,” said Bethany Whetzel, Treasury Programs Director for the Georgia Office of the State Treasurer. “It’s a way for families to plan and save for their child or loved one’s future education.”
The check was presented during a special student assembly on December 3, and it brought hope to Jer’Riyah’s mother, Shikina Jackson, who shared that receiving the funds came at a special time.
Dunbar Elementary School student Jer’Riyah Willingham (middle), her mother, Shikina Jackson (right), and principal Lakisha Wright (back middle) at a special check presentation. Photo credit: Adrian Williams, APS ©
“It’s a blessing to be here today to receive this award for Jer’Riyah,” Jackson said. “Jer’Riyah’s father is deceased. He passed away a year ago, and [the check] is a blessing. We really wish that her dad was here to be able to share this moment with us, but I will definitely make those dreams come true for Jer’Riyah.”
During the check presentation, Lakisha Wright, principal of Dunbar Elementary School, praised the program’s accessibility and impact.
“All [Jer’Riyah] had to do was enter into a sweepstake. The Department of Treasury chose her name, and she won!” Wright said. “She gets to start her journey and start her savings account for college.”
The Path2College 529 Plan represents an essential resource for families preparing for their children’s education. With features including tax-deferred growth and tax-free earnings for qualified withdrawals, the program is an example of the importance of starting early financial planning for post-secondary education.
For Jer’Riyah, the check is more than a monetary prize; it’s a stepping-stone to achieving her dreams.
“I asked Jer’Riyah what she would like to be when she grows up. She said she would like to be a doctor,” Jackson said. “I explained to her that the Path2College Plan is a start to that career.”