State Treasurer Tate Reeves, College Savings Program, Partners with Mississippi Council on Economic Education

Students in Quitman County accept their certificates at an April Awards Ceremony.

(Jackson, Mississippi) – Over 100 students from low-to-moderate income households participated in the Youth Asset Development Program (YAD) this year and saved over $18,000 for their college education. The Mississippi Council on Economic Education partnered with the Mississippi Affordable College Savings (MACS) program in State Treasurer Tate Reeves’ office to educate these children on the importance of a college education and of starting to save today for tomorrow’s college costs.

“The accomplishment of these children is phenomenal,” said Treasurer Reeves. “How encouraging to know these students understand the value of a college education and the value of saving.  That’s why College Savings Mississippi remains strongly committed to our mission of helping make college affordable and accessible for all Mississippians.”

The students that participated in YAD were from low-to-moderate income households in Quitman, Sunflower, LeFlore, Hinds and Washington counties. The Mississippi Council on Economic Education received a grant from the Foundation for the Mid-South, a regional community foundation, that allowed them to match up to $325 for middle school students and $750 for each high school student that participated. At the completion of the program, the students could purchase either a computer or invest their savings in the MACS program, to save toward their college education.  This program compliments the vision of the Mississippi Council on Economic Education; making sure students leaving high school are prepared for their economic roles as workers, consumers, citizens, savers, investors and lifelong decision makers.

“We are so proud Mississippi is first in our country, according to the Council on Economic Education, in providing students with an opportunity like this.  After the first year of YAD, we can confidently say it has been a big success,” commented Evelyn Edwards, Director of YAD, and Vice President of Community Reinvestment at BancorpSouth.

MACS, part of College Savings Mississippi, is one of the state’s two 529 college savings programs that lets you save for education-related expenses such as tuition, books, room and board, etc.

For more information on the College Savings Mississippi programs, please visit www.CollegeSavingsMississippi.com or call  601-359-5255. For more information on the YAD program or the Mississippi Council on Economic Education, visit www.mscee.org.

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