AAA Scholarship Foundation

We Make Academic Achievement Accessible

888.707.2465 | info@aaascholarships.org

The Villarreal Family

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2018. The year that would change Gabriel Villarreal’s life forever; the year that would change his family’s life forever.

In July of 2018, Gabriel was diagnosed with Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Having this explained to you is one thing – having to explain this to your young children is an entirely different story. However, the love Gabriel and his family have for each other was undeniable. He knew this would be an obstacle, but an obstacle they would face together.

Before Gabriel was informed of his diagnosis, he worked in advertising while his wife worked as an office manager. When Gabriel was diagnosed, he was forced to file for disability to focus on his treatments and overall health. He received chemotherapy along with15 hours of surgery to remove the tumor and his right eye. The next step was to wait for the results of his test, and unfortunately, during that time, the family had to rely on one income instead of two. While they were forced to make some sacrifices, one sacrifice they didn’t have to make was their children’s education.

Gabriel and his wife wanted their three children to be in an academic setting that would be more challenging and disciplined than the one they were in currently. Gabriel’s eldest children, Andrea and Adriana, attended both public and private schools. Gabriel’s daughter, Andrea, was attending a public middle school and was experiencing a difficult time adapting due to bullying and other social issues. Even though he was aware this could happen at either a public or private school, Gabriel didn’t want to take the risk of keeping her at her current school and the issues progressing.

As much as Gabriel didn’t want his disability to affect his family’s financial standing, he didn’t have much of a choice. Medical bills continued to pile up, and he was desperate for a miracle. As Gabriel began exploring his options and weighing all of the pros and cons, he discovered the AAA Scholarship Foundation and was thrilled to find they provided scholarships to economically disadvantaged families in Florida. Gabriel applied on behalf of his family and anxiously waited for a response. Miracles come in all shapes and sizes, and that day Gabriel’s miracle was sealed in an envelope congratulating him and his family on their scholarship acceptance.

In the search for the right school, Gabriel’s main priority was for his children to be in an academic environment that was not only challenging but also reinforced their family’s values. Thankfully, he found that at Saint Brendan High School. Saint Brendan’s sole focus is to provide all of its students with a safe and diverse environment that also includes academic excellence, mutual respect, and the holistic development of the individual. Gabriel felt confident picking Saint Brendan. It had everything he thought his children would need to succeed.

As Gabriel continues to fight his battle day by day, he truly feels like the proudest father to be able to watch his daughters and son attend their parent-selected schools and, most importantly, thoroughly enjoying learning. Today, Andrea and her sister Adriana attend Saint Brendan, while their brother Alejandro is able to attend Belen Jesuit Prep, an all-male prep school. Andrea has raised her grades tremendously since transferring to Saint Brendan, and Adriana and Alejandro have consistently maintained A’s & B’s. They all enjoy different subjects – Andrea loves mathematics, Adriana loves science, and Alejandro loves history. They’re each fluent in Spanish and English, and in their spare time, they participate in tennis, cheerleading, gymnastics, and music. “Without the AAA Scholarship Foundation, it would be impossible to have my children attend these schools, especially more now than ever due to my illness,” says Gabriel Villarreal.

Why does AAA charge an application fee (in states that allow it)?

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Here are the three main reasons that AAA charges an application fee, where allowed:

First, processing scholarship applications is very time and labor-intensive due to the strict accountability demanded to properly administer these state-approved scholarships. AAA is a non-profit organization with a small staff and a limited budget. We rely on humans (rather than machines) to process applications. We pay a living wage plus benefits to our employees. The application fees we collect help offset the expenses incurred for processing tens of thousands of applications annually.

Second, we have learned from experience that charging a small, non-refundable, application fee discourages those people who ALREADY KNOW that they will not be awarded a scholarship from applying. How do they already know? Because we are completely transparent when it comes to the eligibility requirements. As noted above, our staff is small so our capacity to process applications timely is limited. Subsequently, spending our limited resources on applications that have zero chance of being approved is wasteful and slows down approvals for those who are actually eligible.

Third, because the application process is time-intensive, we have to encourage everyone who has applied with us to stick with it to the end. Studies have shown that when people have “skin-in-the-game” they show more perseverance toward reaching the goal. Our experience is that applicants are more likely to respond to additional requests for information and/or documentation when they have paid a fee for the chance to be part of that process.

What we hear time and again is that a small application fee for what is very likely to be thousands of dollars in annual k-12 scholarships is well worth the price!

We Trust Parents

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There have been recent newspaper reports about a perceived lack of accountability by the private schools participating in certain Scholarship Programs. This has created a lot of discussion about additional regulations that may be needed for these schools. We would like to take this time to discuss our view of this issue.

Let us start by reminding everyone that most scholarship families have already experienced what it is like to have their children in a well-regulated public school – many of which were also accredited.

Neither the regulations nor the accreditation made their zoned school a good fit for their children so these families sought out a different option – a scholarship to assist them in affording an educational setting that was a better fit for their children.

That means that scholarship families have already:

  1. Proactively chosen to remove their children from their zoned schools,
  2. Successfully completed the application process for scholarships,
  3. Enrolled their children in eligible private schools of their choosing, and
  4. Understood that they have the option to exit those schools if they are not meeting their children’s learning needs and to take their children – and scholarship funding – with them to another school.

They are not doing these actions mindlessly. Please do not be deceived by the fallacy that you must “protect” scholarship families from their choices.

Whereas one of the stated purposes of creating the Scholarship Programs is to expand educational opportunities, it behooves the state regulators to resist the urge towards over-regulating participating schools. Studies have proven that over-regulating these schools has the opposite effect – it constricts quality educational opportunities and subsequently decreases program effectiveness.

Instead, we encourage the state regulators to show scholarship families respect. Assume that they are the experts of their own lives and provide support for them as they work towards the goals they have already set for themselves and their children.

Here are some ways that we have found to do that:

  • We provide parents with data on schools so that they can make informed decisions on selecting the best educational settings for their children. We provide access to licensed academic performance data on public, charter and private schools including ratings and reviews by parents, teachers, and students.
  • We inform parents that their children’s scholarships are portable. They have the power to decide whether the chosen schools are serving their children well. If not, they can take their scholarships to another eligible school. This is the mechanism that weeds-out low-quality schools.
  • We empower scholarship parents to demand to be treated like private-pay parents by private schools. Although they may learn about the scholarship from a school, the application process is between AAA and the parents. For us, the schools have no role in the process until the parents pro-actively select them – after being awarded a scholarship. We believe this helps underscore to the parents that they are not beholden to schools because they understand that the scholarships are not coming from the schools. Instead, parents are going into these schools with “money-in-hand” when they have a AAA scholarship.
  • We remind them of all of these facts repeatedly – during application meetings, on scholarship applications, flyers, handbooks, award letters, and school commitment forms. Many families who have not had prior experience with the private school world need to hear these things multiple times before the feeling of empowerment becomes internalized.

In Florida, we have administered both the Florida Tax Credit and Gardiner scholarships since 2014. Using our approach, more than 96 percent of FTC parents remain satisfied with the schools that they originally selected for their children. For those Gardiner students using their scholarship accounts for private school tuition that number is over 88 percent.

At AAA, we support the individual efforts of our scholarship families towards upward mobility. We do that by never assuming to know more about what their families need than they do. We encourage everyone to do the same.

**ARIZONA** Call to Action – Ask your Representative to vote AGAINST SB 1485 today!

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Arizona Hearing for Bill #SB 1485 scheduled for TODAY, May 7th!!

The Arizona House is set to hear bill #SB1485 on Tuesday, May 7th. As a reminder, this bill will ELIMINATE 80 PERCENT of the annual increase in SCHOLARSHIP FUNDING needed to keep the program growing.

We ask that you please contact your REPRESENTATIVE and ask them to vote AGAINST SB 1485!

WE NEED YOUR HELP TO STOP THIS BAD BILL WHICH WILL ELIMINATE 80 PERCENT OF THE ANNUAL FUNDING INCREASE IN THE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.

HOW YOU CAN HELP:

It takes just 4 easy steps to tell your Arizona Legislator to vote AGAINST #SB1485

1. Find your Legislative District Number by clicking here and entering your address: https://azredistricting.org/districtlocator/
2. Click on the link below and scroll until you find your Legislative District Number: https://www.azleg.gov/memberroster/
3. Click on your House Representative’s name and then click on the email button.
4. Complete the form and ask them to vote AGAINST SB1485.

BILL #SB 1485 HAS THE POTENTIAL TO DESTROY THIS INCREDIBLE LIFE-SAVING PROGRAM AND WE MUST MAKE OUR VOICES HEARD TO CHANGE YOUR LEGISLATOR’S HEARTS AND MINDS. WE NEED YOUR HELP TODAY!

Thank you again and we can win this fight if we all stand up for our children!

Sophia Lozano

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Sophia Lozano
World of Kids Academy
Doral, FL

Being 6-years-old and an ESOL (English as a second language) student, Sophia Lozano needed to be in a school setting that was tailored to her particular learning style. With a scholarship from the AAA Scholarship Foundation (AAA), Sophia has finally found a school she can call home.

With her children’s father living in Colombia, Ana Jiménez feels the financial burden every day trying to earn a livelihood to support her family. While being a mother is more than a full-time job in itself, Ana wouldn’t trade it for anything. Her children, Sophia and Xavier, look at the world with so much possibility and Ana never wants the low income she earns from her job to change that. While her financial status does limit her to certain things, it does not stop her from wanting to give her children a quality education.

As an ESOL student, Sophia would struggle from time to time, but Ana knew that it should not hinder her daughter’s ability to make progress in school. However, because of the language barrier, Sophia was not learning at the same speed as her peers. Ana knew Sophia was capable of learning what was being taught; however, she was falling more behind each day primarily due to being placed in a large classroom setting. Ana couldn’t help but wonder if Sophia were in a smaller classroom setting that offered one-on-one assistance, would she be performing better? She couldn’t bear to sit by and watch Sophia suffer when all she wanted to do was soar. But the same question stood; what options did her family have with her limited income?

At this time, Ana’s son Xavier was attending the World of Kids Academy through the Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten Program (VPK), a state-based program that allows children to enroll in Pre-K at no cost. Ana decided to look into the World of Kids Academy for Sophia. Upon touring their elementary school, Ana was impressed by the curriculum the school offered and how quickly students were learning, even in the lower grade levels. The school’s primary goal is to prepare its students to perform beyond their grade level. The teachers are highly trained and experienced and each grade level has a low student-to-teacher ratio, making it easier for students to learn at a quicker, more efficient pace.

Ana had a chance to speak with the school administrators and informed them of her current financial situation. She was overjoyed to hear that World of Kids Academy had numerous children on scholarship programs, one of the programs being AAA. Ana rushed home, applied for a Florida scholarship online and patiently waited to hear back. Ana was ecstatic to receive her approval letter and enrolled Sophia at World of Kids Academy immediately for her first-grade year.

As Ana drops Sophia and Xavier off at school each morning, she can’t help but tear up while watching them run to their classrooms. Since attending the World of Kids Academy, Sophia has gone from hiding behind her textbooks to finding any excuse to raise her hand and engage with her teachers and peers. Being an ESOL student held Sophia back academically and socially at her old school, but now, she is performing far beyond her grade level and has made a ton of new friends in the process! Sophia loves math and has even joined the ballet program at her school. Everyday Sophia comes home eagerly wanting to tell her mom what she learned that day. Thinking back to where her family was just a year ago, and how much of a difference this school has made, makes Ana smile from ear to ear, and it’s all thanks to AAA.

“I am very grateful to the AAA Foundation for providing my daughter the opportunity to attend a private school with such an accelerated, tailored curriculum,” says Ana. “Thank you, AAA for giving my family and me this incredible opportunity!”

About AAA Scholarship Foundation
The AAA Scholarship Foundation awards scholarships solely to qualifying low-income, disabled and displaced students. The typical AAA Scholarship student is an ethnic minority living with a struggling single parent/caregiver in a high crime community. More than 90.6 percent of AAA scholarships are distributed to children at or below 200 percent of poverty. Many children are either below grade level, failing at their previous school or both when they receive a scholarship. Parents, who find their children in these circumstances and are concerned about their future, look for viable options. They seek an atmosphere that challenges their child and will reverse inadequate learning, social patterns, and the potential lifelong negative impact. They wish to change their child’s learning environment, acquaintances and the unfortunate predictable outcomes associated with school failure.

AAA Scholarships are funded in Arizona, Florida, Georgia and Nevada by corporations that redirect a portion of their state tax liability to the AAA Scholarship Foundation in exchange for a dollar-for-dollar tax credit. The AAA Scholarship Foundation is one of the only approved 501(c)(3) nonprofit scholarship organizations exclusively serving qualifying low-income, disabled and displaced students through these tax credit scholarship programs in multiple states. AAA Scholarship Foundation provides your company with the convenience and efficiency of a single-solution for participating in multiple state tax credit scholarship programs. For more information, or to learn how your corporation can participate in the program, visit www.AAAScholarships.org, or contact Kerri Vaughan at kerri@aaascholarships.org or 888 707-2465 ext. 730.

Click here for a pdf of this student spotlight.

Patrick Vega

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Patrick Vega
AAA Scholarship Graduate
Arizona

The last time we heard from Patrick Vega he was in the 12th grade and on his way to completing high school. Today, we are excited to say that he will be graduating this May from Saint Louis University with a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice and Criminology! “We did it with angels and organizations like you,” says Gracie Vega, Patrick’s mother.

Several years ago, when the untimely passing of Patrick’s father, Gracie’s husband, occurred, the Vega family was unsure of how they would be able to continue without him. Not only was Gracie grieving her husband’s death, but she was also worried about how she would keep their family afloat financially. A big part of her concerns was how she would be able to afford for Patrick to continue at Bourgade Catholic High School – the private junior/senior high school his older brother had attended. Her reasoning went beyond having her youngest child follow in her oldest child’s footsteps; the school had served as a major support system for her family during their loss, and she worried that disrupting Patrick’s education and moving him away from this close-knit community would have devastating effects on his well-being and future.

After consulting with the financial aid department at Bourgade to tell them her concerns, Gracie learned about the AAA Scholarship Foundation and applied. Receiving the news that Patrick was approved for a scholarship provided her with a massive sense of relief and reassurance that her family was going to be alright.

Recognizing what a gift it was for him to be able to receive his education at Bourgade, Patrick put forth his best effort in school, achieving a 3.4-grade point average and taking advantage of extracurricular activities the school had to offer, including basketball, swimming, and theater. And even though his schoolwork and activities kept his schedule full, he always carved out time to do community service work – such as leading vacation bible school for younger children at his church, feeding the homeless and even going on mission trips to build houses for those in need.

As Patrick made it to his senior year of high school, the Vega family was faced with another trauma – Gracie’s eldest son was diagnosed with leukemia. The family moved into the hospital where her son was being treated, and while Patrick was enduring even more emotional turmoil than before, he knew his family would want him to push through and complete high school. With support from both his mother and AAA, Patrick walked proudly across the stage to receive his high school diploma. Patrick’s older brother was unable to attend his graduation, but now that he is in remission, he will be sitting in the front row alongside Gracie cheering Patrick on at his college graduation this spring.

“Your organization relieved me of the gorilla I was carrying on my back trying to make sense of what was happening to us,” says Gracie. “Thank you so much for everything you did for us. I am forever grateful to your organization.”

About AAA Scholarship Foundation
The AAA Scholarship Foundation awards scholarships solely to qualifying low-income, disabled and displaced students. The typical AAA Scholarship student is an ethnic minority living with a struggling single parent/caregiver in a high crime community. More than 90.6 percent of AAA scholarships are distributed to children at or below 200 percent of poverty. Many children are either below grade level, failing at their previous school or both when they receive a scholarship. Parents, who find their children in these circumstances and are concerned about their future, look for viable options. They seek an atmosphere that challenges their child and will reverse inadequate learning, social patterns, and the potential lifelong negative impact. They wish to change their child’s learning environment, acquaintances and the unfortunate predictable outcomes associated with school failure.

AAA Scholarships are funded in Arizona, Florida, Georgia and Nevada by corporations that redirect a portion of their state tax liability to the AAA Scholarship Foundation in exchange for a dollar-for-dollar tax credit. The AAA Scholarship Foundation is one of the only approved 501(c)(3) nonprofit scholarship organizations exclusively serving qualifying low-income, disabled and displaced students through these tax credit scholarship programs in multiple states. AAA Scholarship Foundation provides your company with the convenience and efficiency of a single-solution for participating in multiple state tax credit scholarship programs. For more information, or to learn how your corporation can participate in the program, visit www.AAAScholarships.org, or contact Kerri Vaughan at kerri@aaascholarships.org or 888 707-2465 ext. 730.

Click here for a pdf of this spotlight.

**Updated** Call to Action for May 2nd: Oppose Bill #AB 458

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2nd Nevada Committee Hearing for Bill #AB458 scheduled for Thursday, May 2nd at 1:30 p.m.

The Nevada Senate Revenue Committee is set to hear bill #AB458 on Thursday, May 2nd. As a reminder, this bill will REMOVE the 10% annual increase in scholarship funding needed to keep the program growing.

Thank you to everyone who came out to Las Vegas and Carson City to testify against the bill at the Assembly in early April. We ask that you please come out again this Thursday to make sure your voices are heard in the Senate this time!

WE NEED YOUR HELP TO STOP THIS BAD BILL WHICH ENDS ANY ANNUAL INCREASE IN THE OPPORTUNITY SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.

HOW YOU CAN HELP:

  1. Please come out to the meeting on Thursday at 1:30 PM and tell the committee members that you OPPOSE bill #AB458. If you feel comfortable taking 1 or 2 minutes to share with the committee why your child needs this scholarship you will be able to do that too. We will have people there to meet you and give you stickers to wear.

You can attend the meeting in Las Vegas or Carson City on Thursday, May 2nd at 1:30 p.m.:

Attend in Las Vegas:
Grant Sawyer State Office Building
Room 4412
555 E. Washington Ave.  
Las Vegas, NV

Attend in Carson City:
Legislative Building
Room 2134
401 S. Carson St.  
Carson City, NV

If you are attending please call or text us at 702-941-4448 so we can provide more information and connect you with an advocate at the meeting.

  1. If you cannot attend in person, please email:
    1. Committee Chair Senate Marilyn Donderol Loop at Marilyn.DonderoLoop@sen.state.nv.us 
    2. Vice- Chair Julia Ratti at  Julia.Ratti@sen.state.nv.us  
    3. Senator David Parks  David.Parks@sen.state.nv.us
  2. Let them know you OPPOSE Bill #AB 458 and state you are on the wait-list for a scholarship. In a few sentences state why your child needs this educational choice.
  3. Post a comment on the bill at https://www.leg.state.nv.us/App/Opinions/80th2019/ Enter “AB458” for the bill number and check the button that you are AGAINST the bill. Then share a few sentences on why you want a scholarship. Legislators look at these posts!

BILL #AB458 HAS THE POTENTIAL TO DESTROY THIS INCREDIBLE LIFE-SAVING PROGRAM AND WE MUST MAKE OUR VOICES HEARD TO CHANGE THE COMMITTEE MEMBER’S HEARTS AND MINDS. WE NEED YOUR HELP TODAY!

Thank you again and we can win this fight if we all stand up for our children!

p.s. A big shout-out to everyone who came out on April 2 and April 4 to testify at the Assembly against AB458. We truly appreciate your efforts!

Cheryl Hillen

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It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our dear friend, colleague and tireless advocate for disadvantaged students, Cheryl Hillen.

Cheryl began her advocacy for quality k-12 educational options for all students back in the early 1990s. Even after she was diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer, she never stopped fighting to end the vicious cycle of generational poverty.

As Director of Corporate Relations for AAA, Cheryl communicated the need for businesses to invest in the economically-disadvantaged communities they serve. Her work remains a critical factor in AAA’s continued success and growth.

Prior to her work with AAA, Cheryl founded Project Education and served as Director of Development at the Alliance and Advocates for School Choice (2004-2008); Vice President at Children First America (2000 – 2004); Director of Development at Citizens for a Sound Economy (1990 – 2000); and Vice President at D.C.-based government relations firm, Valis Associates (1986-1990). Prior to that, she worked on political campaigns and on Capitol Hill.

Cheryl was originally from West Virginia and attended the University of Kentucky where she majored in political science. She is survived by her children, Marga Franklin and William “Woody” Franklin, mother, Nancy Hillen, sisters, Cathy Hillen-Rulloda and Cindy Hillen and brother, Alex Hillen, along with a large, loving family of aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and cousins

We re-dedicate ourselves to continuing Cheryl’s legacy. Our loss is heaven’s gain. We will forever miss her.

Please read her full obituary here.

Sophia and Isabella Linde

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Sophia and Isabella Linde
The King’s Academy
Reno, NV

Kristin Linde never wanted her own personal obstacles to affect her two daughters, Sophia and Isabella. Although she did not know at the time, when her ex-husband left her and their family behind – with no money and no idea of where to go next – it was a defining moment in all of their lives.

Instead of allowing this change to dictate their future, Kristin vowed that she would do whatever it took to give her children the best – starting with education. While it was traumatic for her family to leave everything behind in Mexico and move to Nevada, she was determined to find a school tailored to her children’s specific learning needs. Her eldest daughter, Sophia, was in second grade at the time of the move. Kristin had enrolled her into a public school because although she worked multiple jobs while attending college part-time, she was still struggling to make ends meet. Kristin, however, was optimistic that this would be an easy transition for Sophia since she had done so well the year prior; but to her dismay, it was the opposite.

Kristin immediately started to notice the decline in Sophia’s grades. Sophia hadn’t struggled in school before, so she was surprised to see how drastic of a change it had become, especially in math. The issue wasn’t that there was a language barrier or that she didn’t understand the schoolwork; it was that the teaching styles were polar opposite in Mexico and Nevada. Sophia learned best when she was in a smaller class setting and had the option of receiving one-on-one attention from her teacher or a tutor, which she was not receiving at her current school.

If Sophia was already falling behind in the 2nd grade, who knew what third, fourth, or even middle school would hold for her. As desperate as Kristin was to find a better-suited school for Sophia, it seemed nearly impossible given the fact that she was her family’s main source of income and they were in no place financially to make a change.

Kristin began exploring different schools to get an idea of what each offered and, most importantly, would any of them be the right fit for Sophia. To her surprise, she found a school that surpassed any expectations she had –The King’s Academy. Kristin had this overwhelming feeling of contentment when she walked around The King’s Academy. As she observed the interactions between teachers and students, she couldn’t help but smile at the genuine appreciation they had for each other. Kristin also had the chance to walk around with the principal of the school and ask her questions and was blown away when she would greet every student by their first and last name. Seeing first-hand the principal take the time to know every one of her students, Kristin did not doubt that the faculty would be just as loving and devoted. However, The King’s Academy is a private school, and with her income, there was no way she would be able to afford the tuition.

Kristin opened up to her mother hoping she’d have some ideas on what to do. Her mother graciously offered to help her with tuition as much as she could for the first few years. Kristin took advantage of this offer as well as requesting more hours at work. Even with the extra help, it still wasn’t enough. She wanted to keep Sophia enrolled in The King’s Academy and was desperate to find a way. Thankfully she learned about the AAA Scholarship Foundation (AAA) and quickly applied. Kristin anxiously waited to hear if their family had qualified for a scholarship, and the joy that she felt when they did was indescribable.

Today, Kristin can confidently say that The King’s Academy is the school that her daughter was meant to attend. Kristin’s other daughter, Isabella, is also enrolled at the school with her big sister. Sophia, who is now in the sixth grade, truly loves waking up every morning and going to school. The education level at The King’s Academy is a full school year ahead of other schools in their district. Kristin is amazed to see how quickly the students are advancing and how well they’re doing in terms of their grades. The school is big on extracurriculars and encourages students to step out of their comfort zones by trying a class in language, arts, choir or athletics.

The two siblings are doing incredible academically. Sophia loves spelling and learning about penmanship and calligraphy. She is extremely creative and looks forward to attending her art classes where she can bring her creativity to life. As for Isabella, she may only be in the second grade, but she truly loves every subject and is eager to learn and succeed in the classroom. Kristin never has to think twice about asking Isabella if she’s finished her homework because 9 out of 10 times it’s either already completed or being double-checked.

Being an AAA scholarship recipient has taken a huge weight off of Kristin’s shoulders. “I used to have to pick up extra shifts to afford the tuition, and it was just too much,” says Kristin. “With the scholarships from AAA, I can balance work, school, and still have the ability to spend quality time with my family.”

With heartfelt emotion, she reiterates how impactful this program has been to her family. “There are no words for how grateful I am,” says Kristin Linde. “I feel so safe and happy sending my children to The King’s Academy, and that’s all thanks to the AAA Scholarship Foundation.”

About AAA Scholarship Foundation
The AAA Scholarship Foundation awards scholarships solely to qualifying low-income, disabled and displaced students. The typical AAA Scholarship student is an ethnic minority living with a struggling single parent/caregiver in a high crime community. More than 90.6 percent of AAA scholarships are distributed to children at or below 200 percent of poverty. Many children are either below grade level, failing at their previous school or both when they receive a scholarship. Parents, who find their children in these circumstances and are concerned about their future, look for viable options. They seek an atmosphere that challenges their child and will reverse inadequate learning, social patterns, and the potential lifelong negative impact. They wish to change their child’s learning environment, acquaintances and the unfortunate predictable outcomes associated with school failure.

AAA Scholarships are funded in Arizona, Florida, Georgia and Nevada by corporations that redirect a portion of their state tax liability to the AAA Scholarship Foundation in exchange for a dollar-for-dollar tax credit. The AAA Scholarship Foundation is one of the only approved 501(c)(3) nonprofit scholarship organizations exclusively serving qualifying low-income, disabled and displaced students through these tax credit scholarship programs in multiple states. AAA Scholarship Foundation provides your company with the convenience and efficiency of a single-solution for participating in multiple state tax credit scholarship programs. For more information, or to learn how your corporation can participate in the program, visit www.AAAScholarships.org, or contact Kerri Vaughan at kerri@aaascholarships.org or 888 707-2465 ext. 730.

Click here for a pdf of this Student Spotlight.

William and Alyne Johnson

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William and Alyne Johnson
Sugar Hill Christian Academy
Sugar Hill, GA

“Knowledge is power. Information is liberating. Education is the premise of progress, in every society, in every family” – Kofi Annan

Migrating from France and Jamaica, Blandine and Herbert Johnson have always known how crucial education is in life, especially when packing up the life you once knew and moving to another country. Blandine works part-time in sales while she attends college studying medical coding, and her husband Herbert is self-employed. Together they have two children – William and Alyne. William is the oldest and when it came time for William to start school, the only option was to enroll him in a public school due to the family’s economic standing. The school year started fine, or at least that was the impression Blandine and Herbert were under.

Shocked was an understatement to describe how Blandine and Herbert felt when William’s teacher told them that she thought William had a learning disorder because he wasn’t socializing with the other children in his class. Of course, the two were concerned; were the teachers noticing something they hadn’t? The Johnsons took matters into their own hands. They sought out professional advice, only to find out that it wasn’t that William had a learning disorder, but rather that he wasn’t receiving the one-on-one attention he needed and he was too timid to tell his parents that he wasn’t grasping the concepts as quickly as the other students.

This news devasted Blandine and Herbert. William was being labeled by his teacher because he wasn’t as outspoken as the other children his age. What he needed was to be in a smaller class setting where he was offered a teacher’s undivided attention if he needed it. Even though William was in Kindergarten, the two knew that if they didn’t make a change now, this would continue to affect him throughout his academic career, as well as his life. However, the Johnson’s were faced with a problem. Blandine’s hours were cut back at the same time Herbert’s pay was decreased. Attending private school was simply out of the question.

As weeks went on, Blandine and Herbert grew more upset as they watched their son try to maintain a smile for them, when they knew deep down he was struggling. They couldn’t take it anymore and knew that there had to be another way. Thankfully, there was.

One afternoon, they were discussing the situation with Herbert’s sister. She informed them of the AAA Scholarship Foundation and walked them through the steps of the Georgia application process. Having applied for two years in a row and ending up on a waitlist for funding each time, Blandine and Herbert were ecstatic to receive an acceptance letter the following year. Now all they had to do was find a school that could provide an environment that was right for their son.

The second they stepped foot onto Sugar Hill Christian Academy’s campus, Blandine and Herbert had a gut feeling that this was the ideal school for their son. The school offers a curriculum that combines strong academics, as well as character virtues, to equip the next generation. There is also a great amount of respect between parents and faculty, and they always encourage communication. William needed to be in an environment where his teachers genuinely wanted to see him excel as a student, and would do anything possible to make that happen – even if it meant spending extra time with him before and after school. Thankfully that is exactly what Sugar Hill Christian Academy provided.

As you can imagine, adjusting to a new school and curriculum was challenging in the beginning for William. He went into Sugar Hill Christian Academy with his guard up from his previous experience with his teachers at his former school. Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months, and before he knew it, William felt comfortable and acclimated to his school. Now in the 6th grade, he is thriving at his parent-selected school! Not only has he made a ton of new friends, but he’s finally found his love for learning. Blandine and Herbert can stop by the school and enjoy lunch with William, as well as their youngest Alyne, who now also attends Sugar Hill Christian Academy. William’s grades have vastly improved and he loves to get involved in the classroom asking as many questions as possible, especially in math and science. He aspires to be an architect one day. Even though Alyne is only in the 3rd grade, she is an incredible reader and loves to write stories in her journal.

The two siblings also participate in extracurricular activities at their school; William is in the school band and Alyne performed in the Christmas play that is held every year. Blandine and Herbert are truly the proudest parents, and without the AAA Scholarship Foundation, sending them to Sugar Hill Christian Academy truly wouldn’t have been possible.

“Knowing my children are at a great school receiving a great education has been the biggest blessing,” says Blandine Johnson. “My husband and I can’t thank the AAA Scholarship Foundation enough. This organization absolutely changes lives!”

About AAA Scholarship Foundation
The AAA Scholarship Foundation awards scholarships solely to qualifying low-income, disabled and displaced students. The typical AAA Scholarship student is an ethnic minority living with a struggling single parent/caregiver in a high crime community. More than 90.6 percent of AAA scholarships are distributed to children at or below 200 percent of poverty. Many children are either below grade level, failing at their previous school or both when they receive a scholarship. Parents, who find their children in these circumstances and are concerned about their future, look for viable options. They seek an atmosphere that challenges their child and will reverse inadequate learning, social patterns and the potential lifelong negative impact. They wish to change their child’s learning environment, acquaintances and the unfortunate predictable outcomes associated with school failure.

AAA Scholarships are funded in Arizona, Florida, Georgia and Nevada by corporations that redirect a portion of their state tax liability to the AAA Scholarship Foundation in exchange for a dollar-for-dollar tax credit. The AAA Scholarship Foundation is one of the only approved 501(c)(3) nonprofit scholarship organizations exclusively serving qualifying low-income, disabled and displaced students through these tax credit scholarship programs in multiple states. AAA Scholarship Foundation provides your company with the convenience and efficiency of a single-solution for participating in multiple state tax credit scholarship programs. For more information, or to learn how your corporation can participate in the program, visit www.AAAScholarships.org, or contact Kerri Vaughan at kerri@aaascholarships.org or 888 707-2465 ext. 730.

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