People of all ages attending this year’s State Fair of West Virginia will have the opportunity to win a Marquee Cinemas gift card thanks to the SMART529 College Savings Program.
Jars filled with jellybeans, lollipops, taffy and more will be colorfully displayed daily at the SMART529 exhibit inside the West Virginia University building on the fairgrounds. Those who stop by the exhibit will have the opportunity to guess how many items are in a different jar each day by using an interactive website on their smart phones or on iPads provided at the booth.
The person who guesses closest to the correct number of items in the jar wins a $50 gift card to Marquee Cinemas. There will be one winner each day of fair for a total of ten winners. Ties will be determined by a random computer selection.
“This is a simple and fun game for both adults and children alike,” said State Treasurer John Perdue. “While it is a classic game, we gave it a modern twist with the online guessing element. Our hope is that people have fun, participate in some friendly competition, and stop by our exhibit to learn more about the benefits of saving for higher education.”
The SMART529 College Savings Program is designed to help parents, relatives and friends save for a child’s education beyond high school. Money invested in the plan may be used at colleges, universities and trade schools around the nation for tuition, room, board and school supplies. Treasurer Perdue administers the program and is chair of the program’s governing board.
In addition to the daily guessing game, fairgoers will learn more about the Bright Babies program, which invests $100 in a SMART529 account for those who open an account before the child’s first birthday. Also eligible are adopted children who have not celebrated the one-year anniversary of their adoption.
Additionally, anyone who opens an account at the State Fair will receive a special gift to take home. To open an account at the fair, a parent must fill out the appropriate paperwork in person and provide the child’s Social Security number. The 2017 State Fair of West Virginia runs from Aug. 10-19.
For more information on the SMART529 program, go to www.SMART529.com or call 866-574-3542.