By SUMMER ZIMMER
Director of Communications, Kosciusko Community YMCA

WARSAW — For the youngest students in Kosciusko County, college will be something they no longer have to just imagine — it will be a place they have visited and seen for themselves.

Friday, Sept. 25, and Friday, Oct. 2, Kosciusko County students in kindergarten through second grade will visit Ivy Tech for a day. Students will celebrate the efforts they have been making through “Walk Into My Future.”

Through Kosciusko County Promise, all parents of students in kindergarten through second grade had an opportunity to enroll their children in CollegeChoice529 at school registration. The program is designed to make it easy for families to establish a college savings account and support savings for their child’s education beyond high school. Enrollment will continue online for several weeks.

“Walk Into My Future” will be the culmination of a monthlong awareness push and classroom activities for students. Statistically, when children have a savings account in their name, they are seven times more likely to attend college.

“The Kosciusko County Promise program can impact the lives and futures of nearly 3,000 k-2 children in our community,” says Chad Zaucha, CEO, Kosciusko Community YMCA. “Students who have their own college savings account are seven times more likely to attend college. However, this project is not just about saving for post-secondary education. This project is about inspiring our children, investing in the future of our community and ensuring that we are building a foundation where everyone believes they can achieve.”

“The Kosciusko County Promise initiative’s long-term strategy to stimulate the economic engine of our county by building a college-going community culture and providing hope for youth and families to be able to access and afford college is certainly one that aligns well with our own mission,” Dr. Seelpa Keshvala, President, Ivy Tech Community College’s Warsaw Campus, said. “Therefore, we are delighted to partner on this important initiative and look forward to hosting the ‘Walk Into My Future’ event here on the Ivy Tech-Warsaw Campus. We are excited to be able to provide an engaging experience for the K-2 children in our community.”

To learn more about the Kosciusko County Promise or discuss how you can get involved, contact Pam Price at (574) 269-9622 or [email protected].