State treasurer recognizes Berkeley Count student

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(From L-R) Teacher, Mrs. Teena Hine, Principal, Mr. Paul Tyson, West Virginia State Treasurer, John Perdue, 3rd grader, Syrah George, and George's mother & Hedgesville Middle School principal Elizabeth Adams. George is presented a $500 check from Mr. Perdue to be invested into her SMART529 college savings plan.
(From L-R) Teacher, Mrs. Teena Hine, Principal, Mr. Paul Tyson, West Virginia State Treasurer, John Perdue, 3rd grader, Syrah George, and George’s mother & Hedgesville Middle School principal Elizabeth Adams. George is presented a $500 check from Mr. Perdue to be invested into her SMART529 college savings plan.

HEDGESVILLE, W.Va. — A local grade school student was recognized today as a winner of an essay contest.

Syrah George is a third grader at Tomahawk Intermediate School in Hedgesville and she was one of 15 regional winners in the 2017 SMART579 When I Grow Up essay contest.

West Virginia State Treasurer John Perdue presented the school today with a $500 prize check and George will receive $500 invested into a SMART529 college savings plan. Perdue says that the saving plan has been around for 12 years thanks in part to parents who are looking for to get a head start for their kids at preparing for college.

“We have over 35 thousand West Virginian families invested in the program,” said Perdue.  “So I think it says a lot of our citizens in the state wanting to invest in the future of their children.”

George will also be recognized at a ceremony in Charleston in September where she will be entered into a drawing for the grand prize of $5,000 in a SMART529 college saving plan.

This was the tenth year of essay contest.