College Illinois! ® 529 Prepaid Tuition Program announces Draw Your Dreams coloring contest for kids
Contest Offers a Chance to Win $529

[March 26, 2015]  CHICAGO- College Illinois!®, the state’s only 529 prepaid tuition program, has announced its first "Draw your Dreams" coloring contest, offering future college students an opportunity to win one of three $529 gift cards. College Illinois! offers families a unique, flexible, and tax advantaged option in planning for the cost of college, and the contest is one of the many ways the program seeks to foster early college awareness and planning.

“In light of the increasing importance in today’s job market of a college degree or credential, the College Illinois! coloring book and contest offer a creative and fun way for families to start talking with their children early on about college,” said Sandra Houston, director of College Illinois!.

To enter the contest, families can download the College Illinois! coloring book from the College Illinois! Facebook page.

Illinois children 11 years of age or younger can choose a page from the coloring book to color, and parents or legal guardians can submit a scan or photo of the drawing to the program’s Facebook page.

Ten images will be selected as finalists and will be posted on Facebook. Finalists will be selected based on image quality and the embodiment of the spirit of the Draw Your Dreams contest.

Three winners will receive a $529 gift certificate, and will be chosen based on the number of Facebook likes, comments and shares they receive during the voting period. All entries must be received by 11:59 p.m. on April 6, 2015.

Research shows that children with a college savings account in their name are six to seven times more likely to attend a four year college than those without a dedicated account.

A 529 prepaid tuition plan offers a way to “freeze” the cost of tuition by prepaying future college tuition at today’s contract rates. College Illinois! offers great tax advantages and flexible payments.

During the current enrollment period, which runs through April 30, 2015, College Illinois! has reduced contract prices by as much as 29% to make planning for the cost of college even more affordable. Learn more at www.collegeillinois.org.

College Illinois Draw Your Dreams Contest:

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY.

A purchase will not improve one’s chances of winning.

The contest is sponsored by College Illinois! 1755 Lake Cook Rd., Deerfield, IL 60015.

The contest began on March 9, 2015 at 9:00 a.m. and ends on April 6, 2015 at 11:59 p.m.

Contest is only open to Illinois residents who are at least 18 years of age and are the parent or legal guardian of a child 11 years old or younger.

Complete contest rules are available on the College Illinois Facebook page.

[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

About College Illinois! - Since its inception in 1998, College Illinois! has been focused on providing an affordable option to help make college a reality for Illinois families. Administered by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission, the state’s 529 prepaid tuition program offers a unique set of benefits, including tuition inflation protection, flexibility, and significant tax benefits. Program assets, which are held in the Illinois Prepaid Tuition Trust Fund and kept separate from other state public money or funds, are professionally managed by an experienced team led by a Chief Investment Officer and established third party asset managers.
More information on plan options and benefits, as well as a complete description of terms and conditions, is available at www.collegeillinois.org.