Students at a central Iowa school are learning an important lesson about saving for their futures in a program that’s the first-of-its-kind in the state.
Every student at Harding Middle School in Des Moines is being given money to invest in a 529 savings account run by an education nonprofit.
Nalo Johnson, CEO of the Mid-Iowa Health Foundation, says she wanted to invest in the success of the youngsters as she attended Des Moines Public Schools, too.
“It was through the thoughtful care and investment of my DMPS teachers that planted the seed for my future attainment of a PhD,” Johnson says.
Mid-Iowa Health donated $140,000 to the By Degrees Foundation which will manage the accounts. She says the money is meant to help students think about life after high school.
The program received the donation for all students to access once they hit academic and personal milestones. Johnson says those milestones look different for everyone.
“But we know that it is incredibly important that each student has the tools and the support to explore wherever your scholarly journey may take you,” Johnson says.
Students can use the funds to pay for any postsecondary education.
(By Lucia Cheng, Iowa Public Radio)