The West Virginia State Treasurer’s Office and Mission West Virginia will present 12 children with $1,200 invested in SMART529 college savings accounts as part of the SMART START adoption award program. The award helps boost college savings for children adopted from the state’s foster care system.

An awards ceremony is scheduled 11:30 a.m. Nov. 1 at the Clay Center’s Walker Theater, with a luncheon program to follow. Children will participate in a Build-a-Bear workshop and other activities provided by Clay Center staff.

Children selected represent seven families, with four of the seven comprised of siblings. The money will be used to provide SMART529 accounts for the 12 children selected by Mission West Virginia’s Frameworks program through an application process.

This is the second year for the projected started by State Treasurer John Perdue. Funds for the award are a result of the SMART 5.29K Run/Walk. Races have been held in May of the past two years in Charleston’s East End. Last May’s race raised more than $15,000. Nearly 70 people ran the course, marked off at exactly 5.29 kilometers.

 “I can’t think of a better cause or a more vulnerable population to help go to college,” Treasurer Perdue said. “I hope we can continue to serve these kids for a long time. They face long odds in going to college because of interruptions in schooling and the psychological impact of being bounced from place to place. We’re proud to participate in SMART START.”