PROGRAM INFO

Eligibility

Students enrolled in kindergarten fall 2018 through 2027 at a participating Newaygo County school
Homeschool students residing in the Newaygo County Regional Educational Service Agency (NCRESA) school district or a township immediately adjacent to it. Click here to learn more about enrolling as a homeschooler.

If transferring to a school outside the NCRESA service area, students can continue to make deposits and withdraw funds upon graduation, but will not be eligible for incentive deposits.

Enrollment

In partnership with participating schools, student information is shared with Fremont Area Community Foundation and ChoiceOne Bank to automatically open accounts for eligible students.

No student information is shared outside of program partners. Social security numbers are not needed because Fremont Area Community Foundation is the owner of the accounts.

Parents interested in opting their student out of the program are encouraged to call the Community Foundation at 231.924.5350 for more information.

Parents or guardians of eligible homeschool students may complete an account form to request enrollment for their student. One form per student is required. Email address is required for online submission using the blue button. To enroll an eligible homeschool student without a parent or guardian email address, call 231.924.5350.

Accounts

Accounts are deposit-only, which means the funds remain on deposit until Fremont Area Community Foundation approves a withdrawal for future career preparation expenses.

Accounts are owned by Fremont Area Community Foundation, but the funds are held in trust for the student and available for withdrawal upon graduation from high school. Withdrawals must be a qualified career training or college expense and approved by the Community Foundation.

Accounts earn interest. Interest will be compounded each calendar quarter and credited accordingly.

Accounts are not subject to balance or transaction fees.

A parent or guardian can be added to the student's account as an account contact. This will allow them to ask about account activity and balance.

Funding

An initial (seed) deposit of $50 is directly deposited into the student's account by Fremont Area Community Foundation at account opening.

Students will have opportunities to earn an additional $50 each year (grades 1-12) through incentives as determined by the champion committee. Families and friends can also make deposits at any time.

Deposits

Beyond initial and incentive deposits from Fremont Area Community Foundation, private deposits can also be made at any ChoiceOne Bank in person or by mail. To make a deposit, reference the student's name, school, and birthdate. Recurring deposits can also be set up at any ChoiceOne Bank.

Students are encouraged to save their money and deposit it into their account during scheduled Kickstart Deposit Days at their participating Newaygo County school. Deposit Days are held by ChoiceOne Bank and Fremont Area Community Foundation at least twice a year at each school.

Champion Committee

Kickstart to Career has a champion committee consisting of one school representative for every participating district. The role of the champion is to advocate for the program, advise on program functions, and be the main contact for parents, students, and teachers in their respective organization.

Becky Jackson, Big Jackson Public Schools

Denise Alleman, Fremont Christian School

Jodi Ferris, Fremont Public Schools

Rick Girgenti, Fremont Public Schools

Hannah Kregel, Grant Christian School

Amy Zerlaut, Grant Public Schools

Stephanie Schmitz, Hesperia Community Schools

Jen Thomasma, Newaygo Public Schools

Lorie Watson, White Cloud Public Schools

Celeste Spivey, ChoiceOne Bank

Journee Veltkamp, ChoiceOne Bank

Affiliations