Six adorable babies vie for college money in second Diapers to Dorms Dash

Congratulations to little Austin Tillman, 1, of Rolesville for coming in first in the second Diapers to Dorms Dash, sponsored by NC 529, over the weekend.

The "race" featured six babies as they battled to be the first to crawl across the finish line during the pre-game ceremony before the N.C. State and UNC-Chapel Hill men's basketball game in Chapel Hill on Saturday. For his speedy victory, Austin won $529 contributed to an NC 529 account for college savings. The five other contestants - Eliza Grace Ashe, Ellie Riggio, Vance Taylor, Layla Jean Sauls and Maddox Blevins - all took home $25 placed into their own NC 529 account.

Nearly 150 babies entered an online campaign to compete in Saturday's event. With a parent waiting at the finish line, the crowd went wild as Rameses encouraged the babies along.

The first Diapers to Dorms Dash happened during the Wake Forest and UNC game in December. The event aims to raise awareness about the benefits of 529 accounts and encourage parents - no matter the age of their children - to start one.

"The cost of college can be overwhelming, and if you give yourself some time to save, you get not only the time to put money away, you can take advantage of any market gains or interest based on the investments you choose," Morgan said.

Yet, most parents don't start saving until kids start school. Based on the last three years, the average new NC 529 account was opened for a child between the ages of 5 and 6. That means that parents lost out on years of potential savings. And, said Morgan, every little bit helps. So, even just $25 a month will result in savings that will help kids down the road.

What's more, Morgan said, 529 accounts offer a great alternative for grandparents, who are looking for gift ideas for their grandkids.

"It's a great place to point family members who might want to get another big loud plastic toy to clutter your living room," she said. "Maybe you can encourage them to ... give the gift of college."