Arizona Treasurer Kimberly Yee honored 15 Arizona students, from kindergarten through sixth grade, as winners of the fourth annual AZ529 Future Career Art Contest, including one Tempe student.

The 15 winners represent different schools among district, charter, private schools, Bureau of Indian Education and homeschools, representing all of Arizona’s 15 counties, a press release explained.

Lukas Tapia, who wants to be a police officer and attends Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Tempe, was among the 15 winners.

AZ529, Arizona’s Education Savings Plan and the Arizona State Treasurer’s Office invited K-6th graders across Arizona to draw, paint or find a creative way to make an art piece representing their dream job. 

A total of 15 winners were selected from 457 entries. The entries were reviewed by a panel of judges and scored based on the content, creativity, organization and originality of the artwork.

Arizona Treasurer Kimberly Yee said in the release that the statewide contest for students helps to inspire children about their future careers and guide them towards a savings plan for higher education.

“We have reached every corner of Arizona to send this important message about educational opportunities for all. An AZ529 Education Savings Plan gives them that pathway,” Yee said. “These savings provide endless opportunities, including college, vocational school, workforce development, apprenticeship programs and more.”

The winners received $529 towards a new or existing AZ529 Education Savings Plan. The amount $529 was selected to pay homage to Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code, which created the AZ529 plan, according to the release. 

The funds may be used for future educational expenses such as tuition for college, trade schools, or workforce development training.

“As I have traveled throughout every county in Arizona to share about the AZ529 Education Savings Plan, I have been inspired to see families recognizing the outstanding opportunities they can give their loved ones when they invest in an AZ529 Plan,” Yee said. 

She highlighted that in just 53 months of overseeing the program, her administration had added over 53,138 new AZ529 accounts for families.

The AZ529 Education Savings Plan offers a tax-free approach to setting money aside for college, community college, vocational training, trade school and other educational avenues for high school graduates, the release explained.

Arizona residents can receive a dollar-for-dollar state tax deduction for contributions made to an AZ529 account each year, of up to $2,000 per beneficiary or $4,000 per beneficiary, depending on filing status. Funds earned over time will remain tax-free when used for a wide variety of covered educational expenses. 

Additionally, 529 plan beneficiaries can now rollover unused funds into a Roth IRA, up to a $35,000 lifetime limit, free of income tax or tax penalties. Friends and family members may also add to a child’s AZ529 Plan at any time and earn the same tax benefits for themselves, the release stated.

For more, visit www.az529.gov. To see the winning artwork, visit www.az529.gov/2025artcontest.