DES MOINES, IA (09/17/2013)(readMedia)-- For families already busy juggling the demands of work and home, college planning may be the last thing on your mind. However, with the cost of a higher education rising faster than inflation, nearly every family will face the question of how to pay for it when the time comes. Thankfully, the answer is quite simple - start saving today. By starting early, saving regularly and making smart investment choices, families can make their savings work for them and College Savings Iowa is here to help.

To get a jump start on helping your loved ones start saving for college, celebrate College Savings Month with us. College Savings Month is a national campaign to help bring attention to the fact that saving for college is one of the most significant things families can do for their children. As a way to help families start saving, we are celebrating by giving away a $5,290 College Savings Iowa account. For more information and to enter the giveaway, please visit collegesavingsiowa.com any time before November 30.

While any form of saving for college is better than not saving at all, there are additional benefits to using a 529 plan like College Savings Iowa. Administered by the state treasurer's office, College Savings Iowa offers multiple investment choices, including four age-based options that take into account the child's age and the account owner's tolerance for risk. As the beneficiary nears college age, the assets are automatically shifted to more conservative portfolios. This allows you to reduce the market risk before you begin making withdrawals for college expenses.

In addition, 529 plans offer significant federal and state tax benefits to help grow your savings even more. Contributions and earnings grow free of federal and Iowa state income taxes while invested and remain tax-free when used to pay for qualified higher education expenses at any eligible college, university, community college or accredited technical training school in the United States or abroad.* College Savings Iowa sweetens the deal by allowing Iowa tax payers to deduct up to $3,045 in contributions per beneficiary account from their 2013 adjusted gross income.**

By starting early, saving a little at a time and making smart investment choices, families can make their savings work for them. Start saving today and help make college a reality for a child in your life - you'll be glad you did! To learn more about College Savings Iowa, visit collegesavingsiowa.com or call 888-672-9116.

Michael L. Fitzgerald, State Treasurer

*The earnings portion of nonqualified withdrawals may be subject to federal income tax and a 10% federal penalty tax, as well as state and local income taxes. The availability of tax or other benefits may be contingent on meeting other requirements.

**Adjusted annually for inflation. If withdrawals are not qualified, the deductions must be added back to Iowa taxable income.

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Investment returns are not guaranteed and you could lose money by investing in the plan. Participants assume all investment risks as well as responsibility for any federal and state tax consequences. If you are not an Iowa taxpayer, consider before investing whether your or the designated beneficiary's home state offers any state tax or other benefits that are only available for investments in such state's qualified tuition program.

For more information about the College Savings Iowa 529 Plan, call 888-672-9116 or visit www.collegesavingsiowa.com to obtain a Program Description. Investment objectives, risks, charges, expenses, and other important information are included in the Program Description; read and consider it carefully before investing. Vanguard Marketing Corporation, Distributor.

College Savings Iowa is an Iowa trust sponsored by the Iowa State Treasurer's Office. The Treasurer of the State of Iowa sponsors and is responsible for overseeing the administration of the College Savings Iowa 529 Plan. The Vanguard Group, Inc., serves as Investment Manager and Vanguard Marketing Corporation, an affiliate of The Vanguard Group, Inc., assists the Treasurer with marketing and distributing the Plan. Upromise Investment Advisors, LLC, provides records administration services. The Plan's portfolios, although they invest in Vanguard mutual funds, are not mutual funds.

Davenport West High School will be presenting The West High Hall of Honor Awards to three alumni between October 2 and October 5, 2013 as a highlight of Homecoming 2013.

Recipients Mr. James Skinner, Mr. Rick Price, and Dr. James Kibbie will be honored at two  locations. Mr. Skinner will be honored at an "invitation only" luncheon on October 2, 2013 at West High School. Dr. Kibbie and Mr. Price will be honored at a banquet to be held at Modern Woodmen Park in the Skydeck on Saturday October 5, 2013 from 6 to 8 PM. Tickets for the Saturday event are available for $30.00 per person and the public is encouraged to attend. Send a check made out to West High School to Marcia Jensen at West High School, 3505 W. Locust St. Davenport, IA 52804. Reservations must be made by September 21, 2013.   Dr. Kibbie will be performing a concert at 3PM on Sunday October 6, 2013 in the main sanctuary of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Davenport, Iowa. The concert is free.  Donations will be accepted for renovations of the sound system in the Liddy Auditorium at West High. For more information, contact Marcia Jensen at West High School (563-386-5500) or by email at jensenm@davenportschools.org

Mr. James Skinner (1962) CEO McDonald's (Retired)

"Jim's first job was working in his neighborhood McDonald's restaurant in Davenport while attending high school.  After graduation, Jim joined the United States Navy, specializing in electronics.   After 10 years of service to the Navy, Jim returned to McDonald's in 1971 as a restaurant manager trainee in Carpentersville, IL and never looked back.  He quickly ascended through the ranks, holding many different leadership positions with global accountability.  Jim retired in 2012 after being McDonald's eighth CEO.  To sum up his career, Jim likes to say that he has worked for two great brands:  The United States Navy and McDonald's. He has been recognized professionally by his peers, the media, and many professional and educational institutions.  Chief Executive Magazine named him the "2009 CEO of the Year" and Barron's recognized him as one of the "30 Most Respected CEOs."  Most recently, he was listed in SmartMoney's Power 30: The World's Most Influential Players. He also received honorary doctorate degrees from Roosevelt University and DePaul University. Jim serves on the Board of several organizations, and is also a member of many civic and business organizations."

Mr. Rick Price (1963) Educator (Retired)

Rick excelled in sports while a student at West High School. While at West he earned seven athletic letters in basketball, football and baseball and was selected to Hawkeye Boys State in 1961. He was catcher on the 1962/63 West team that won the Baseball State Championship. He began his significant leadership roles with the office of West High Student Body President in 1963 as well as being Co-Captain of the senior year football team.  He continued to distinguish himself in football and leadership at the University of Northern Iowa while getting his degree in education, earning the honors of being CoCaptain and Most Valuable Player during his senior year. Mr. Price spent thirty-eight years as a coach and educator beginning as a teacher and assistant principal at JB Young Junior High in Davenport and retiring as a principal from Carmel Middle School in Colorado Springs, CO. He was the cofounder of Entrada, the first school based health clinic in Colorado Springs as well as Peak Education, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting middle school students from low socio-economic backgrounds in achieving academic success. He has been a member of several boards and has been a community volunteer in every place he has lived.

Dr. James Kibbie (1967) Organist and Bach Expert

Dr. Kibbie is Professor of Organ at the University of Michigan. He also maintains a full schedule of concert, recording, and festival engagements throughout North America and Europe. His performances have been broadcast on radio and television in the USA, Canada, and Europe. During his month-long concert tour of the former Soviet Union, the Russian press hailed him as "a marvelous organist, a brilliant interpreter."   James Kibbie is internationally renowned as an authority on the organ music of Johann Sebastian Bach and is in constant demand as a Bach recitalist and clinician. His recordings of the complete organ works of Johann Sebastian Bach on historic baroque organs in Germany have been welcomed with enthusiastic acclaim.   He has been awarded the Grand Prix d'Interprétation at the prestigious International Organ Competition of Chartres, France, and is also the only American to have won the International Organ Competition of the Prague Spring Festival.  The University of Michigan has endowed the James Kibbie Scholarship in perpetuity to support students majoring in organ performance and church music. Among the honors he has received, Dr. Kibbie is particularly proud of the James Kibbie Scholarship, endowed in 2004 by former students, family and friends to support students majoring in organ performance and church music.

(DES MOINES) - Gov. Terry E. Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds today announced that they again are inviting schools to Skype with them, following last year's successful "Skype Your School!" effort.

"We were excited to see the response to our Skype Your School initiative last school year, and are encouraging administrators, teachers and students to join us again this year," said Branstad. "We had great conversations with dozens of classrooms, and appreciate the opportunity to answer students' questions. As we work to restore Iowa's leadership position in education, we believe this level of accessibility is important and a positive experience for everyone involved."

To request a "Skype Your School!" classroom chat, teachers, administrators and students are encouraged to click on the featured image at http://Governor.Iowa.Gov, request a "Skype Your School" event in the comments section on Facebook.com/TerryBranstad and Facebook.com/KimReynoldsIA, or to use the #SkypeYourSchool hash tag on Twitter.

Last year's "Skype Your School!" effort garnered national attention for "pushing the frontiers of digital technology" on Skype's blog.

"Our Skype Your School initiative has enabled students to learn about new technology, and allowed us to stay in touch with classrooms throughout the state," said Reynolds. "We have had some great questions from students, and appreciate the opportunity to address a variety of topics straight out of Iowa's classrooms. The governor and I enjoy visiting all of Iowa's 99 counties every year, but our Skype initiative allows us to cover a lot more ground throughout the entire state."

ROCK FALLS, Ill. - State Rep. Mike Smiddy, D-Hillsdale, will receive the "Friend of Education" award from Rock Island County Regional Superintendent Tammy L. Muerhoff on Wednesday, September 11th at 11:00 a.m. at the Candlelight Inn, located at 2200 - 1st Avenue, Rock Falls, in honor of his outstanding work fighting for better opportunities for Illinois students.

"My wife is a teacher and we have two sons, so I have a personal perspective into our local educational system as well as the opportunity to be an advocate for more resources and support for our schools as a legislator," said Smiddy. "I have shown my dedication to making sure our schools have the financing and resources they deserve, and I will continue pushing our state to keep its promises to our schools, teachers and students."

For more information, contact Smiddy's office at RepSmiddy@gmail.com, (309) 848-9098, or toll free at (855) 243-4988.

Who:  State Rep. Mike Smiddy, D-Hillsdale, and Rock Island County Regional Superintendent Tammy L. Muerhoff

What: Presentation of the "Friend of Education" award to state Rep. Mike Smiddy

Where: The Candlelight Inn, located at 2200 - 1st Avenue, Rock Falls, IL

When: Wednesday, September 11th, at 11:00 a.m.