SACRAMENTO, Calif., Feb. 11, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- California State Treasurer Fiona Ma today announced the kickoff of the third year of Scholar Dollars , an awards program that makes more than $300,000 available to schools to pay for much-needed extracurricular and afterschool programs. ScholarShare 529 supports Scholar Dollars.

”I am thrilled that my office plays a crucial role in helping schools pay for critical, yet often underfunded, extracurricular and afterschool programs,” said Treasurer Ma. “What school couldn’t use an award ranging from $5,000 to $30,000 to support student enrichment programs like music, theater arts, athletics, robotics, and field trips? Scholar Dollars provides a vital pathway for today’s students by giving them the boost they need to become California’s next generation of innovators, leaders and entrepreneurs.”

Last year’s Scholar Dollars was a big success, as 465 schools across the state registered for the program. More than 405,000 votes were cast by community members for their local schools, with those schools receiving the most votes best positioned to win an award. All told, the program awarded more than $300,000 to support extracurricular activities and afterschool programs. Scholar Dollars distributed 20 awards to schools throughout the state, supporting funding for programs including a solar-powered STEM center for conducting environmental experiments at Riverview STEM Academy in Rancho Cordova to LED stage-lighting fixtures for the theater program at Santiago Elementary in Santa Ana to new instruments for the talented jazz band and orchestra at La Paz Intermediate in Mission Viejo.

This year, the program will distribute another 20 awards to K-8 public and charter schools in California. The awards range from $5,000 to $30,000, depending on school enrollment size. These awards will help schools pay for a wide array of programs and equipment, such as new computers, field trips, musical instruments, gardening materials, team uniforms, STEM and Innovation Labs, and much more.

Entering a school is easy and takes only 15 minutes. Just visit MyScholarDollars.com between February 11 and March 1, click on your school, then tell us how you would use your award if you win. Next ask your parents, teachers and community members to vote for your school from March 11 through March 22. The schools with the most votes win! All eligible K-8 public and charter schools in California are already uploaded to the Scholar Dollars website.

Anyone 18 years or older is eligible to vote and can cast a vote as often as once per day during the voting period. The Scholar Dollars program provides a variety of tools to help schools get out the vote, such as a customizable PDF flyer. Also provided are sample posts and images that can used in email and social media campaigns.

ScholarShare 529 is the official college savings plan of California. It offers families a range of assistance to help them pay for higher education, including investment opportunities with tax-deferred growth and withdrawals that are exempt from state and federal taxes when they’re used for qualified higher education expenses. Studies show that kids with a savings account in their name are six times more likely to attend and graduate college.

To learn more, enroll or vote for a school, visit MyScholarDollars.com .

ABOUT SCHOLARSHARE 529 ScholarShare 529 is administered by the ScholarShare Investment Board, which is chaired by California State Treasurer Fiona Ma. TIAA-CREF Tuition Financing, Inc. Program Manager. To learn more about the ScholarShare 529 2019 Scholar Dollars Program, visit MyScholarDollars.com.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/Attachm...02f7214928