Sidney Family Among NEST Winners

Nebraska State Treasurer Don Stenberg and First National Bank of Omaha today announced four randomly selected winners of the 2017 Big Dreams $20K Giveaway. Each received a $5,000 contribution to a NEST 529 College Savings Plan account for a beneficiary 10 years old or younger.

The names of the winners are as follows:

Robert Clause – Minatare, Nebraska

- Jodi Spady – Enders, Nebraska

- Karen Miller – Omaha, Nebraska

- Mike Jaggers – Sidney, Nebraska

In total, 2,442 eligible entries were received, including 158 from outside Nebraska. Entries were accepted between September 12 and October 31. This is the second Big Dreams Giveaway in 2017. The first giveaway, which accepted entries between March 9 and May 29, also awarded four winners with $5,000 contributions.

"At NEST, we strongly advocate for children to dream big-especially when it comes to education. However, we also understand that big dreams often require a solid financial foundation to build upon," said Treasurer Stenberg, Trustee of NEST. "By offering the $20K Giveaway, we hope to support these aspirations and help children move closer to fulfilling their big dreams."

"Helping families jump start their college savings is of the upmost importance and is at the very heart of our mission," said Deborah Goodkin, Managing Director, Savings Plans, First National Bank of Omaha. "Knowledge is invaluable, but higher education isn't free, which is why we aim to give families a boost as they begin planning for the academic future."

Since 2015, $90,000 has been given to families saving for college through the Big Dreams Giveaway. Funding for the scholarships is provided by First National Bank of Omaha. Throughout the year, the NEST 529 Plan regularly offers scholarships, contests and drawings. More information is available at NEST529.com, NEST529Advisor.com or treasurer.nebraska.gov.