Celebrate National Higher Education Day with NYC Kids RISE Save for College Program

June 6, 2023June 6, 2023 LaToya

Saving and planning for higher education can seem out of reach, but this National Higher Education Day the good news is: If you have a child in kindergarten or first grade in a New York City public school (including participating charter schools)— or kindergarten through fifth grade in geographic School District 30 — they already have a financial asset for college and career training through the NYC Kids RISE Save for College Program.

Each student participating in the Save for College Program — about 145,000 students — has a NYC Scholarship Account with an initial $100 for college and career training, and opportunities to receive additional funds over time when their parents or guardians take key steps. The number of students with scholarship accounts will grow by a new citywide class of kindergarteners each year.

Research has shown that a child with even a small savings account of just $1 to $500 is three times more likely to go to college and more than four times more likely to graduate than a child without an account.

At Queensbridge, Astoria, Woodside, and Ravenswood Houses, nearly every kindergarten through fifth grade student has a NYC Scholarship Account with an initial $100, additional scholarship dollars they may have received from completing steps in the program, and contributions from community scholarships. More than 1,190 students at these four developments have over $485,000 already accumulated in their NYC Scholarship Accounts for college and career training.

Announcement of Rise Light & Power Community Scholarship at Queensbridge Houses’ Family Day (2022). Pictured from left to right: Debra-Ellen Glickstein, Founding Executive Director, NYC Kids RISE; Corinne Woods-Haynes, President, Queensbridge Houses Resident Association; Eva Trimble, Chief Operating Officer, New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA); Dinneal Mcleod with her daughter Winfrey, a rising P.S. 111Q fifth grader; Wil Fisher, Manager of External Affairs, Rise Light & Power; Rachel Marcus with her daughter Faith, a rising P.S. 111Q fifth grader; Ebony Young, Deputy Queens Borough President; and Bishop Mitchell G. Taylor, Senior Pastor, Center of Hope International and Co-founder and CEO of Urban Upbound. Photo credit: Jonathan Patkowski for NYC Kids RISE.

If your child participates in the Save for College Program, you can activate their NYC Scholarship Account today at nyckidsrise.org/activate and view the early investment in their future. When you activate your child’s account you will earn an additional $25 reward for their college and career future. Once activated, you can take the next steps in the program and receive additional awards, like connecting a college and career savings account that you own for the benefit of your child, and saving in the ways and amounts that make sense for your financial circumstances.

For support with activating your child’s NYC Scholarship Account and taking the next steps to receive up to $175 in additional rewards by the end of fifth grade, visit nyckidsrise.org, call 833-543-7473, or email info@nyckidsrise.org.

Featured photo caption: Woodside Houses Tenants Association President Annie Cotton Morris presented a check for the Woodside Houses Tenants Association’s P.S. 151 Community Scholarship, in partnership with NYC Kids RISE, to PTA members representing PS 151 (2021).