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Every year, I get a front-row seat to something pretty special in Mississippi. It doesn’t happen in a boardroom or at the Capitol. It happens on kitchen tables, classroom desks, and living-room floors, where kids pick up crayons, markers, paint, and pencils and start imagining their future.
The 2026 College and Career Savings Art Contest is back again with a deadline approaching on March 2. All Mississippi students from Pre-K through 12th grade are invited to show us who they’d like to become.
The idea is simple. We ask students one question: “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Then, we ask them to answer it with their creativity. Whether a child dreams of being a teacher, a welder, a nurse, an engineer, a police officer, or something the rest of us haven’t even thought of yet, this contest is their chance to put that dream on paper.
Of note, students in Pre-K through second grade should use the official entry form, which can be found at treasury.ms.gov/artcontest. Students in grades three through twelve can use any 8.5 by 11 medium they choose to show off their talent and must include the words “College and Career Savings.”
This isn’t just about art for art’s sake. There’s a real reward at stake. This year, the State Treasury will be distributing more than $8,000 worth of Mississippi Affordable College Savings (MACS) scholarships to the art contest winners – and one hardworking teacher! More specifically, first-, second-, and third-place winners in each age group will receive $1,000, $500, and $250 scholarships, respectively. The teacher whose students submit the most entries will receive a $1,000 scholarship. Those dollars can be used for college tuition, career training, certification programs, and other qualified education expenses.
At its core, this contest is about planting seeds early. When kids are encouraged to think about their future and see that Mississippi believes in them enough to invest in it, something clicks.
Once again, the deadline to submit artwork is March 2. You can find the full rules and submission details at treasury.ms.gov/artcontest.
I can’t wait to see what Mississippi’s kids dream up this year. If their artwork is any indication, our future is in very good hands.
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