Treasurer Announces Scholarship Winners

State Treasurer Ron Ross announced today that Ann Wunderlich, a seventh grader of Omaha, Nebraska and Alexis Neely, a first grader of Grant, Nebraska are the recipients of a $1,000 College Savings Plan account for their completion of their Library's Summer Reading Program. The Omaha Royals, Triple-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals, donated the two $1,000 scholarships.

Many studies have shown that a student who continues to read through the summer retains the knowledge they learned during the school year. "Summer reading is very important in developing life-long reading habits, in maintaining literacy skills and in promoting reading for pleasure. We wanted to do our part to encourage students in Nebraska to continue their education by participating in their library's summer reading program," said Treasurer Ross.

Wunderlich of the Omaha Public Library's W. Clarke Swanson Branch and Neely of Hastings Memorial Library in Grant were two out of many students who participated and completed their local library's summer reading program. Over 60 libraries across the State of Nebraska participated in the drawing for the college savings account. Students who completed the requirements for their reading program were entered into a drawing at the Treasurer's Office to win the account.

Nebraska's College Savings Plans serve as an investment tool which allows parents and grandparents the ability to save for college with tax savings advantages at both the State and Federal level, as well as, the ability to apply the savings to a number of schools (public, private or religious) nationwide.

The college savings program is administered by the Nebraska State Treasurer and Union Bank and Trust Company serves as the program manager. There are four plans within Nebraska's Educational Savings Plan Trust - the College Savings Plan of Nebraska, TD Waterhouse, the AIM College Savings Plan and the State Farm College Savings Plan. For more information, contact Rachel Rezabek at 402-471-2455