Winners of the 2023 College Savings Mississippi Art Contest have been announced.
12 students and one teacher took home a combined $3,500 worth of scholarships during a reception held at the Mississippi Museum of Art.
“In these students’ artwork, we saw the beauty of their creativity, but also a snapshot of their dreams,” State Treasurer David McRae said. “I’m thrilled to help them in their journey to achieve those dreams with a scholarship from College Savings Mississippi.”
The College Savings Mississippi Art Contest is an annual event held by the State Treasurer’s Office. This year, more than 1,000 students competed for 12 scholarships by drawing a picture of what they wanted to become when they grew up.
Below is the full list of award winners:
Age Group: Early Elementary (PreK-Grade 2)
- Nora Guo from Madison, Saint Andrews Episcopal School
- Baylor Bounds from Hattiesburg, Presbyterian Christian School
- Vera Kate Parsons from Iuka, Iuka Elementary School
Age Group: Elementary (Grades 3-5)
- Lauren Phou from Southaven, DeSoto Central Elementary School
- Atharva Mantri from Meridian, Northeast Lauderdale Elementary School
- Jasper Powell from Jackson, Ida B. Wells APAC
Age Group: Middle School (Grades 6-8)
- Jo Lin from Madison, Madison Middle School
- Michael Bland from Madison, Madison Middle School
- Joselin Godinez from Madison, Madison Middle School
Age Group: High School (Grades 9-12)
- Jaliyah Bell from Jackson, Ida B. Wells APAC
- Kadence Anding from Brandon, Brandon High School
- Gracey Nerren from Isola, Deer Creek School
Teacher:
- Kimberly Stinson, Oak Grove Middle School
First place winners will receive a $500 scholarship in the form of a Mississippi Affordable College Savings (MACS) account. Second place receives a $250 scholarship and third place receives a $100 scholarship.
MACS is a Mississippi 529 College Savings plan offered through the Office of the State Treasurer. With MACS, families can open a tax-advantaged savings account for educational expenses.
The money in these accounts can be used for college tuition and expenses. The funds can also be applied to secondary and elementary private tuition, apprenticeship programs, student loans, and more.
