WABASH COUNTY PROMISE
Lead Agency
Presenting Sponsor
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Saving for the Future
529 Enrollment
WABASH COUNTY PROMISE
P arkview H ealth D elivers on the P rom ise A m anda Jones-L aym an Director of Academic Engagement Wabash County YMCA To inspire over 2,200 families of kindergarten through third grade students to register for a college savings account in just a matter of weeks takes vision and effort. In four Northeast Indiana counties this August, Parkview Health helped make
Parkview makes $25 investment in each new college savings account college savings a reality for over 2,200 students as they established CollegeChoice 529 Direct Savings accounts during school registration. The accounts are part of efforts to create a college-going culture and provide a way for students and families to begin saving for college at an early age. Parkview Health, as north-
529:Fact or Fiction LILY FLORA FROM ST. BERNARD’S was one of three lucky students to win $529 to put toward their College Choice 529 Savings Plan during Walk Into My Future on Sept. 26. Tallulah Gawthrop from Manchester Community Schools and Jaden Bechtold from Whitley County Consolidated Schools were the other two winners. The College Choice 529 Savings Plan is named after Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code and allows champions to receive tax benefits when they invest in a student’s education. (photo by Eric Stearley)
east Indiana’s only not-forprofit health system, is committed to serving the people of the region and saw the potential to do just that through the Promise. As the enrollment sponsor of the Promise, Parkview made an initial gift of $25 into all new college savings accounts established for kindergarten through fourth grade students in Wabash County. Over 400 students started a savings account this year, adding to the 1,070 that started saving in the first year of the Promise. In LaGrange, Noble and Whitley counties, another 1,800 youth began saving with help from Parkview. “Staying true to our mission of improving the health and well-being of our communities means making an investment in those factors that affect the long-term
health of the region. In Wabash County, this is an investment in the education of local youth to ensure a qualified workforce for the future,” said Mike Packnett, CEO of Parkview Health. During September, “College Savings Month” in Indiana, students in all four counties invited champions in their lives to invest in their college savings accounts. Students who raise $25 in champions’ contributions will receive a matching grant from a coalition of public and private partners in each community. Students have until October 15 to reach the $25 minimum and qualify for matching gifts. “With more than 8,800 coworkers, Parkview is the region’s largest employer. In recent years, we have supported economic develop-
The Value of a H igher E ducation
One of the best tools available to help you give the gift of a college education is a College Choice 529 Savings Plan. 529 plans were established to help parents and grandparents save money for post-secondary or higher education that can be used at schools across the country. With the many attractive features and benefits they offer, 529 plans have become one of the most popular ways to save for college. A 529 plan lets you take advantage of tax-advantaged investing, control, and flexibility. F iction :A 529 plan can only be used at schools in your home state. Fact:You can use the assets at any eligible school around the country and abroad—not just in Indiana. That includes 2- and 4year colleges, graduate schools (including law and medical), and vocational/technical schools. F iction : It costs a lot to maintain an account. Fact:When you open an account through the Promise, there is no minimum deposit. To help families save even more, CollegeChoice 529 offers additional programs like Upromise, a service that lets account owners earn college savings when they shop online, dine out, and more.
ment efforts to strengthen northeast Indiana, and we believe the Promise is excellent contribution to the Big Goal,” said Packnett. The Big Goal aims to increase the number of residents in Northeast Indiana with a high quality degree or credential to 60 percent by the year 2025. By the year 2018, over 60 percent of jobs in the U.S. will require postsecondary education in the form of a two- or four-year degree or credential. As of 2009, the percentage of the Northeast Indiana workforce (adults between the ages of 25-64) with a degree or credential was less than 35 percent. Parkview Health sees the Wabash County Promise as a key partner in accomplishing this goal and ensuring that northeast Indiana has a bright future.
F iction : You can only use 529 plans to pay for tuition. Fact: You can use your account assets for many higher education expenses, including tuition, fees, certain room and board costs and, for 2010, computers and course-related software. Fiction: You have to make a lot of investment decisions. Fact: 529 plans have several investment types to meet your needs. CollegeChoice 529 offers both a “set it and forget it” AgeBased Option, where the investment gets more conservative as the beneficiary gets closer to college-age, and Individual Portfolios, from leading investment managers, that let you create your own strategy.
INDIANA COMMISSIONER FOR HIGHER EDUCATION Teresa Lubbers speaks to the crowd of students at Walk Into My Future on the campus of Manchester University Sept. 26. (photo by Eric Stearley)
by Teresa L ubbers Indiana Commissioner for Higher Education An investment in higher education may be the most important purchase Hoosiers ever make. Investing in a college degree pays off in terms of more job opportunities and higher earnings, but the benefits extend far beyond finan-
cial returns. The advantages include increased social mobility, greater civic involvement, improved health and wellness, and a higher standard of living. Despite the undeniable benefits of higher education, some have begun to question whether college is still worth it in response to rising tuition costs, growing student
debt, and anecdotes about graduates who can’t find a job. Though these concerns are understandable, it’s clear by every meaningful measure that individuals with education beyond high school are better off than those without it. College graduates earn an average of $1 million more over their lifetimes and experience half the unemployment risk of those with only a high school diploma. As a group, college degree-holders represent a better-prepared workforce, increasing Indiana’s ability to attract outside investment, create jobs and spur new innovation. Moreover, as the state’s college graduates increase their standard of living, Indiana’s per capita income and tax revenues grow as well, paving the way for a higher standard of living for all Hoosiers. The Indiana Commission for Higher Education has information on their website designed to empower students and families to make more informed decisions as they consider their higher education options. Visit them online at www.che.in.gov.
Preparing for the Future
In the Classroom
WABASH COUNTY PROMISE
Students Dream about Future Careers
College GO! Week offers students a chance at $529
IN PREPARATION FOR THE Walk Into My Future event, teachers spent time discussing careers and asking students what they want to be when they grow up. Students from around the state participated in College GO! Week, which is dedicated to discussing college and career possibilities with students. Throughout the week, students heard from visitors employed in a wide range of professions, including Wabash County YMCA CEO and Wabash County Promise Co-founder Clint Kugler (top). At Metro North Elementary School, students made these dreams into a work of art, with each student writing a their dream on a paper cloud, which was hung in the hallway for everyone to see (bottom). Superintendent of Public Instruction Glenda Ritz visited Metro North on Sept. 18 and took a moment to add her dream, that all children love to read (top right).
A Principal’s Perspective on the Promise Chris Kuhn Principal - Southwood Elementary School College Go! Week is a week that is always marked on our school calendars. It is an exciting time that Southwood Elementary utilizes to encourage students to think about their futures. For elementary students, thinking about the future can be a difficult task because the future seems a long way off. However, College Go! Week and the Wabash Promise gives students an opportunity to start dreaming about what they want to do in life and forming a plan on how to get there. To kick off College Go! Week, we have dress-up days; this year, students had opportunities to dress up as what they wanted to be when they grew up and in college apparel to represent their favorite colleges. Throughout
the week, we keep students busy with all sorts of activities: community members and parents come talk in our classrooms about careers, we take college visits, visit Heartland Career Center, Skype with college students, participate in the “Walk Into Your Future” event, and our students put on a career exposition. It is wonderful to see the excitement from not only the students, but also all of the adults involved. At the end of the week, I had the unique opportunity to accompany students to the “Walk Into Your Future” event held at Manchester University. This event was an incredibly positive experience because everyone at Manchester University was focused on one mission: creating hope and dreams for the future. It was very exciting to see the wheels turning! While on campus, the students
were included in several different campus tours and were able to get a little taste of the arts, science, math, and foreign language to name a few. The students were especially excited about learning about and seeing an actual sheep brain! At the “Walk Into My Future” event, students were challenged to make a promise to be kind, do their best, and live their dreams. It was a chance for them to take a glimpse of the possibilities of their future. What an incredible way to culminate College Go! Week! College Go! Week and the Wabash County Promise is an exciting time for our students, our school, and our community. I am privileged to work, and live, in a community that partners with us to invest in our students’ futures.
Continuing through November, College GO! Week helps Hoosiers of all ages plan for education beyond high school. “College GO! Week is all about giving Hoosiers the information and support they need to not only go to college, but to complete college,” said Indiana Commissioner on Higher Education Teresa Lubbers. “Whether you’re a child starting school or an adult planning to return to school, there are specific steps you should be taking now to be on the path to college and career success.” Sponsored by the state’s Learn More Indiana outreach initiative, College GO! Week also features special contests and events. One student at each grade level—from kindergarten through grade 12—will win $529 for their College Choice 529 Savings Plan. Students in grades K-5 will complete a poster activity and grades 6-12 will write an essay explaining how $529 will help them prepare for college. Entries must be submitted by 5 p.m. on Nov. 21. Learn more at LearnMoreIndiana.org/contests.
WABASH COUNTY PROMISE WABASH COUNTY PROMISE
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Walk Into My Future
Visiting College
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12 14 Learning, Dreaming, and Growing at Manchester University Dr. Michael Slavkin Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Manchester University
Unlike most of the adults at the “Walk Into My Future” event on Friday, Sept. 26, I looked at the event through a child’s eyes. For the kindergartners, first graders, second graders, and third graders, this was all new to them. College is unfamiliar and an unknown word. Though Manchester invites dignitaries, speakers, leaders and people from countless other places; these kids didn’t know that. They were simply going to visit somewhere they hadn’t been before.
I likened the day to inviting a friend over to play. Sure, it was 2,300 friends, but the experience would be individualized and special for each one. I met my friends by the buses as they arrived early Friday morning. They were excited for the newness of this place. We said “Hi!,” said goodbye to the buses, and ran to what amounts to the biggest backyard in the world. “The Mall,” as it is called is nothing more than grass surrounded by buildings on our campus. To those that day, it gave us a place to play, to learn, to run, to laugh. We had a huge expanse of lawn to run across and play so many new games! We saw elephant toothpaste being made by people in white coats, who used all kinds of chemicals
and funny-shaped glassware. They called them chemists, but it was a lot like what we do in school during lunch when we mix our vegetables and our milk. We saw a snake and an owl and some fish and learned about how they live around us in this area of our state. We could see them in our backyards, and these folks said that they play in creeks, catch fish, and make life better for the environment. We didn’t talk much about biology, but we did have fun looking, touching, and exploring. We went into a building and saw this huge stage with all different kinds of instruments. There were students playing notes at different times, but then put it together and made something called jazz.
People clapped, and some of the teachers snapped their fingers and said it was “cool and groovy tunes.” It sounded different than the music we listen to, but it was fun to see how much the musicians enjoyed playing with each other. We saw art getting made and had the chance to create quilts out of paper, glue, string, glitter; apparently, they have a lot of art at college. It was all around us when we went in buildings, and students talked about it, and we got to make it. The artists talked about how they love creating new pieces, and how we already showed such creativity. They took us to a spot where they said college students were doing math. All we saw were students playing with different plastic shapes and
playing in water. We talked about whether these shapes were similar and how they might be similar. It looks like people who study math like to play with water, though, too. So many things to do in this place, there almost wasn’t enough time! We ran into people who taught us about germs, learning, poetry, careers, photography. We got to go on tours, and meet Manchester students, and learned that, like us, they love to play. They love to think, and to learn, and to explore new ideas. By the time we ate lunch and had to head back to school, I was surprised that my new friends seemed so comfortable at college. They had done hard work. Play here at Manchester University often is
1 Students take a break for a game of duck-duck-goose. 2 Indiana Commissioner for Higher Education Teresa Lubbers exits the stage after speaking to thousands. 3 Metro North girls enjoy the walk around the mall. 4 O.J. Neighbours students check out a sheep brain at the psychology station. 5 Students listen to a violinist in Wine Recital Hall. 6 Students dance in a train while the music plays. 7 The physics station allowed students to make art with a pendulum. 8 Hanging out with friends is one of the best parts of the day. 9 Students were asked to write their favorite word with the English department. 10 A Southwood student enjoys the ride downhill. 11 One student skips into his future. 12 Students got to see live fish and snakes with an environmental sciences professor. (photo courtesy of Parkview hard, but when you love what you do, it doesn’t Health) 13 Students show off the change they seem quite like work. These friends had learned received at the business station. 14 Students watch about the importance of talking, of listening, of as “elephant toothpaste” explodes from beakers. 15 Girls laugh as they wash their hands at the biology asking questions, and of thinking more after we station. (photos by Eric Stearley) did some work. It is quick to see, that the work of a college cam- cherished and to be relished, much like a day at pus doesn’t seem much different than what we hope play on a big lawn. It is a chance to grow, to learn, goes on in our elementary classrooms. We want stu- and to shine for a moment in the sun. dents to think hard, learn from each other, have I cannot think of a better way to spend the day as fun, play and explore, and at the end of the day, feel a university professor or student: helping a young that what they did mattered. In talking to the col- person experience life at our house; learning, lege students who became mentors to our elemen- dreaming, growing. Manchester University is that tary friends, I often heard them reflect that they special place now for 2,300 young people, and for the could see the importance of what they do every day. countless thousands who have visited before, and Life at a college or university is an experience to be will return again.
Thinking about the Future Kids Talk WABASH COUNTY PROMISE “When I Grow Up”
Name: Trevor Vunch School: O.J. Neighbours Grade: 2nd Future Career: Movie Director How: Go to school again at college Who will help you: Classmates, teachers, and everyone in my family
Name: Colson Kugler School: O.J. Neighbours Grade: 1st Future Career: I want to work at the Y How: I’m going to ask my dad to help me, because he works there. You have to go to college, and then you have to get ready for what you want to be when you grow up Who will help you: My dad
Name: Carter Enix School: Metro North Grade: 1st Future Career: Wrestler How: Go to College Who will help you: My Dad
Name: Carley Whitesel School: Southwood Grade: 3rd Future Career: Farmer How: Study crops at college Who will help you: My dad. He’s a farmer, and my brothers
Name: Holden Poston School: Saint Bernard Grade: Kindergarten Future Career: Plumber How: Go to college. It’s pretty neat Who will help you: Myself
Name: Noah Veals School: Southwood Grade: 3rd Future Career: Veterinarian How: Go to college Who will help you: My dad. He’s a vet, and my brothers.
Name: Kameron Pratt School: Metro North Grade: 2nd Future Career: Baseball Player How: Go to college and play baseball Who will help you? My mom and dad, grandma and grandpa, and aunt and uncle
Name: Addison Brubaker School: Manchester Grade: 2nd Future Career: Art Teacher How: Go to college! Who will help you: Mom and Dad
Name: Jaylen Spriggs Name: Lily Shear School: O.J. Neighbours School: Manchester Grade: 2nd Grade: 1st Future Career: Teacher Future Career: Artist How: Go to college here How: I’m just going to paint all the time and go (Manchester University) Who will help you: My to college here for art mom and my dad and Who will help you: My my grandma parents
Name: Sammie Walter School: Saint Bernard Grade: 2nd Future Career: Doctor How: You have to work for it and go to college Who will help you: Mom
Name: Karlie Lane School: Southwood Grade: 1st Future Career: Model How: Go to some school or something Who will help you: Mom
Name: Ethan Hendricks School: Manchester Grade: 2nd Future Career: Police Officer How: Train, and go to high school, and go to college Who will help you: Mom and dad
Name: Rex France School: Southwood Grade: 1st Future Career: Firefighter, cause you get to fight fires How: Go to college Who will help you: My dad, my mom, and my grandpa
Name: Addison White School: O.J. Neighbours Grade: 2nd Future Career: Babysitter How: Maybe go to college Who will help you: My mom, dad, aunt, cousin, and uncle
photos and interviews by Eric Stearley
Name: Isaac Wright School: O.J. Neighbours Grade: 3rd Future Career: Baseball Player How: Play on the Notre Dame Baseball Team Who will help you: My dad. He’s going to help me practice and go to college
Name: Gretta France School: Metro North Grade: 2nd Future Career: I don’t know How: I still don’t know yet. College seems cool, because it’s big Who will help you: Mom and dad and grandma and grandpa
Name: Talia Carrillo School: O.J. Neighbours Grade: 3rd Future Career: Veterinarian How: I’m going to go to college and learn about being one Who will help you: My parents, my grandpa, and my grandma
Communities Working Together
For a Better Future
WABASH COUNTY PROMISE
District Leaders Support the Promise “I think the Wabash County Promise brings an awareness to kids that are interested in going to college; even our kindergarteners have a little bit of an idea after being on a college campus. I think that’s one of the huge benefits of the day. Another benefit is just an awareness of what the CollegeChoice 529 plans are, with parents more so than our students. As you look out over the crowd, one of the obvious benefits of the Wabash County Promise is being able to have parents and grandparents with the kids today, because it’s just a fun day for them to experience together. We’ve had a great day for weather and the kids have enjoyed going around to the different stations and exhibits that some of the college students and professors are offering. I think it’s good that we can get all of our K-3 students, along with those from Wabash and Whitley County, all together on one campus – it’s a great sight to see.” -D r.B ill R eichhart Superintendent M anchester C om m unity Schools “The Wabash County Promise has only grown in its impact of young lives. What a thrill to see our young students, the promise of our tomorrows, walking on the campus of Manchester University. At Metropolitan School District of Wabash County, we have used the Promise as impetus to discover career interests of our elementary students. We have future mermaids, doctors, veterinarians, singers, construction workers and teachers!” -D r.Sandra W eaver Superintendent M etropolitan School D istrict of W abash C ounty
“Out of all of our programs, I am most proud of my involvement in the Wabash County Promise. No other initiative has held the promise in planting the early dreams of college and career discovery; no other program has provided financial opportunities for all students in Wabash County; and no other initiative has united Wabash County — schools, business, families, community members and the faith community — to work toward one common cause.” -Jason C allahan Superintendent W abash C ity Schools
Wabash County Promise Inspires Three Northeast Indiana Communities A m anda Jones-L aym an Director of Academic Engagement Wabash County YMCA College savings accounts in Wabash County for Kindergarten through third grade students skyrocketed from 6% to 72% through the work of Wabash County Promise during 2013, and this year, three other Northeast Indiana communities began local initiatives to strengthen college-going culture in the region. In addition to creating easy opportunities for families to start saving for future education, the Promise effort also included ongoing awareness and college and career discovery activities for students at their schools and culminated with a visit to Man-
chester University. As a result of the program’s success, the Wabash County YMCA has assisted in piloting the program in three additional Northeast Indiana counties—LaGrange, Noble and Whitley—through a partnership with the Indiana Education Savings Authority (IESA). “We are seeing students in Wabash County dream about their futures and the community coming together to support those dreams,” said Clint Kugler, CEO of the Wabash County YMCA. “We’re excited to help other counties in our region, so their students are receiving that support and know that they are an important investment in the eyes of their community.” In May, the three additional
communities participated in a competitive application process to start local Promise initiatives. The Wabash County YMCA worked with each of the communities to provide tools and resources to help streamline the enrollment process for students and encourage and educate teachers, employers, and community leaders within each participating county. Efforts this year focused on developing community-wide and regional goals for increasing awareness of the importance of educational attainment and saving for the future. As part of the Whitley County Promise, kindergarten and first grade students from Whitley County Schools, Consolidated Whitko School Corporation,
and Smith Green School Corporation established college savings accounts during school registration. Approximately 600 Whitley County students joined Wabash County students on the campus of Manchester University for the “Walk Into My Future” event on Sept. 26. “Working alongside the Wabash County YMCA and Manchester University was an amazing experience for our Whitley County students,” said Erica Miller, Executive Director of the Whitley County Family YMCA. “The event solidified the excitement of the Promise and children thinking about their future.” Like the Wabash County Promise, Whitley’s effort has brought together many groups, from local businesses
to schools to economic development. Along with the YMCA, the Whitley County Community Foundation and Whitley County EDC have been key players. “Initiatives such as the Whitley County Promise will pave the way by creating opportunities for teachers and students to explore college and career pathways early in their educations,” said September McConnell, executive director of the Whitley County Community Foundation. “Equally exciting is the ability to help families start saving for college. We are excited to be involved with the Whitley County Promise and proud of the work that is begin done to build a strong future for Whitley County.”
Creating Champions
For All You th WABASH COUNTY PROMISE
Champions Make a Promise to Support Youth Amanda Jones-Layman Director of Academic Engagement Wabash County YMCA The goal of the Wabash County Promise is for students to believe they can have a great future, and that they can plan and prepare for many options leading to a creative and productive life after high school. Students need to know that there are many paths they can take to have a successful life journey. Believing they are on a path is essential for students to gain motivation and take the steps necessary to achieve their highest potential.
To achieve this goal, it takes our whole county making and keeping a promise. Students promise to learn about all the possibilities and prepare for that future by applying themselves in school today. Schools promise to provide opportunities for students to discover college and careers and create the academic foundation on which students can build. Champions promise to convey the expectation that every student can have success after high school and that our community will encourage and support every student to achieve that success. Whether teachers, family mem-
Becoming a Champion by Amanda Jones-Layman Director of Academic Engagement Wabash County YMCA Every child needs a champion in his or her life — someone like you who cares and can provide encouragement, nurturing seeds of hope for the future. Over 1,000 students created accounts as the first step toward preparing for their futures this fall, and you can become a champion for a child every step of the way on his or her educational journey. Encourage a student; ask about his or her dreams for the future. Invest in a student’s life by making a contribution of any amount to his or her college savings account. Step 1: Talk with a Student • Encourage a student you know about his or her dreams for the future. Ask, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Congratulate him or her about taking a step in the right direction by starting a college savings account. • Ask him or her about the trip to Manchester University for the “Walk Into My Future” event, and about going to college. Ask, “What did you do at the college? What was fun about that day?” Step 2: Help Give Hope: Make an Investment • Invest $5.29 or more in a student’s college savings account. • Give only checks or money orders. Cash cannot be accepted. • Gifts should be made out to CollegeChoice Direct Savings Plan. • Ask the grown-ups in the student’s life for the student’s individual account number. Make sure to write this account number in the memo line of your pledge check, so it can be directed to the correct account. • Send your check directly to: College Choice Direct Savings Plan P.O. Box 55767 Boston, MA 02205
bers, friends, or community members, champions can help students succeed by encouraging them at every step on their path in life. Art Conner is a champion for youth based on his 36 years of experience as a teacher. “I saw firsthand the need for a program like this. There wasn’t the expectation to continue education past high school,” said Conner. “I am impressed with how this program engenders in the students and their families an interest in pursuing a higher education.” Students respond to the level of expectations held of them by the adults in their lives. When adults begin to hold all students to high expectations for achievement and success, it can make a real and meaningful difference in students’ lives. Can you keep the promise to kids in Wabash County? Yes, you can. Become a champion.
Did You Know?
State of College Savings Survey: Young Parents Jump on Savings Bandwagon Lynthia Romney College Savings Foundation Concerned about of the burden of student debt, more parents are prioritizing savings this year over last year as the number one way to pay for their children’s college education, says the College Savings Foundation’s eighth annual State of College Savings survey of parents across the country. They are saving more than they did last year; and the two youngest categories, parents ages 21-30 and 31-35, are getting a jump on the high cost of college by saving earlier in their children’s lives. Overall, saving is a top strategy for 45 percent of parents, up from 43 percent last year, and topping loans/borrowing at 15 percent, grants/scholarships/direct aid at 30 percent, and current income at 7 percent.
The Facts about Indiana Tax Credits for 529 Accounts
• Indiana taxpayers are eligible for a state income tax credit of 20% of contributions to CollegeChoice 529 accounts • You can claim up to $1,000 credit per year • Indiana has the best tax credit in the country for these accounts • Keep a record of your contribution to receive your credit
The survey’s findings paint a picture of a changing landscape with an emerging generation of savers and a broader perspective among all parents of where – and whether – their children will go for higher education. Parents are reimagining what higher education looks like: 42 percent think about vocational and career schools in the same way that they think about public or private colleges. Towards that goal, over half (51 percent) of all parents are already saving, the second highest level in eight years, behind 2013’s 55 percent. Over half, 55 percent, of parents had started saving early – between the time their child was born through five years of age. According to the survey, parents are confident they will reach their college savings goals, 40 percent, up from 35 percent last year. Moreover, these savings habits are being exhibited by younger parents. “Parents of all ages see the power of saving. It is exciting to see families embrace a host of strategies in achieving higher education without a burdensome price tag,” said Mary Morris, Chair of the College Savings Foundation. Other strategies for funding college that emerged from the survey: -529 college savings plans. 33% of all parents own one, and 25% said that 529s were their primary savings vehicle, higher than any other savings category. -74% of parents expect their children to contribute to college; and 44% of those expect them to get a job. -54% would ask friends or family for college savings gift rather than a materials gift. The College Savings Foundation is a leading nonprofit helping American Families save for their children’s college education. The CSF 2014-2015 State of College Savings survey of 800 parents across the country, income and age categories was conducted by Survey Monkey.