The KickStart program was launched in 2016 for every kindergarten student in Barry County to help save for educational expenses after high school. The initial endowment was established through a donation by the DeCamp Family Foundation. The 2016 class of kindergartners received a $50 initial deposit into an education savings account in their name.
To support and encourage TK students along their academic path, TAEF additionally pledged to deposit $5 every two years into registered TK students’ accounts after the completion of first, third, fifth, seventh and ninth grades. The TAEF Board of Directors is excited to make the first of those additional deposits to TK Students who recently completed first grade and have KickStart accounts.
TAEF is depositing its first year of incentives to last year's TK first graders for their KickStart to Career account.
Community members who are interested in assisting TAEF’s effort to support TK students’ KickStart to Career accounts with a tax deductable donation are encouraged to donate on-line Sept. 11-15. During this week, all donations will be matched one-to-one up to $500.
“Saving for education after high school is very important to success,” said Amy Murphy, KickStart to Career Program Director. “Research has shown that students who have as little as $500 in an education savings account are three times more likely to attend college and four times more likely to graduate.”
Donations can be made at give.class.org/kickstart2017. The Thornapple Area Enrichment Foundation is a geographic affiliate of the Barry Community Foundation. For more information about the KickStart to Career Program, which serves all Barry County schools, please contact Amy Murphy at [email protected] or 945-0526.