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Savings accounts offer bright futures for Hesperia kindergarteners.
#HesperiaCommunitySchools #FremontAreaCommunityFoundation #KickStarttoCareerNewaygoCounty
HESPERIA — Beginning in the fall of 2018, every kindergarten student enrolled at Hesperia Community Schools will have the opportunity to be the beneficiary of a savings account opened with a $50 deposit from the Fremont Area Community Foundation.
Schools of choice students living in adjacent townships are also eligible for this benefit as a Hesperia student.
Kickstart to Career Newaygo County, a joint program of Fremont Area Community Foundation and ChoiceOne Bank, is a program designed to build aspirations, encourage savings, increase financial education, and assist with college or career expenses after high school.
Students will be able to earn additional $50 contributions each year until graduation, while families can make deposits at any time. Upon graduating from high school, students can use their accounts to help pay for post-secondary education and career-related expenses such as tuition, books, tools, or training.
“Kick Start to Career coupled with Newaygo County’s Promise Zone provides Hesperia students with the beginning-to-end financial support needed to obtain a free associate’s degree at Muskegon Community College,” said Superintendent of Hesperia Community Schools Vaughn White.
Research shows that having even a relatively small amount of savings has a significant impact on the way a child thinks about and prepares for their future. Children with savings accounts have better math and reading scores; develop greater expectations for themselves; and are more likely to enroll in and graduate from college.
In addition to opening savings accounts, ChoiceOne will provide the technology for families to monitor accounts online and partner with local school districts to provide financial literacy education in classrooms. The program will serve approximately 550 children in the first year and more than 7,000 students total. The Fremont Area Community Foundation expects to make more than $3.4 million in deposits during this time.
For more information about Kickstart to Career Newaygo County, visit kickstarttocareer.org.
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