8-year-old Albany student wins money for college

ALBANY — Vincent Robinson Jr., an 8-year-old from Albany, was awarded $1,529 for his college savings as one of four statewide winners of the We Care Child Care Sweepstakes.

“A college education can open up new doors for you, and it helps with personal growth,” Jasmine Robinson, Vincent’s mom who entered him in the sweepstakes, said. “This gives my son a start, saving toward his college fund because college is expensive.

“I want to thank Path2College We Care Child Sweepstakes for providing a start toward my son’s education.”

The sweepstakes is sponsored by Georgia’s official college savings plan, the Path2College 529 Plan, and the Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL). The goal is to reach families with child care-aged children. This year more than 4,600 individuals entered, which, according to Georgia Student Finance Commission President Lynne Riley, is an indicator of how many families with young children are thinking about and hopefully planning for their kids’ college-bound future. Over the past eight years, the sweepstakes has awarded more than $83,000 to children and child care facilities and/or schools throughout the state.

“The sweepstakes encourages parents and grandparents to focus on saving for college,” Riley said. “The winning contributions give a child a head start on their college savings, and also provide their child care facility with resources to better serve children.”

Robinson attends Just A Kid Learning Facility in Albany, and the child care facility was also awarded $1,529 as part of the sweepstakes.

“The funds will be used to get more literacy education materials to continue to enhance our children’s education so they can be all they can be in life,” Jennifer Corbett with Just A Kid Learning Facility said.

Winners were randomly selected from each of four regions in Georgia: metro Atlanta, southeast, north and south Georgia.

“On behalf of the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning, I congratulate the families and child care facilities that won this year’s We Care, Child Care sweepstakes,” DECAL Commissioner Amy M. Jacobs said. “DECAL’s goal is to lay a solid academic foundation on which a child’s education can be built. We Care, Child Care‘s goal is to lay a solid financial foundation that will allow Georgia’s children to pursue the post-secondary education of their dreams.”

For more information about the Path2College 529 Plan or to open a college savings account, visit www.Path2College529.com or call (877) 424-4377.

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