AAA Scholarship Foundation

We Make Academic Achievement Accessible

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Zynia Hamilton & Antwan Green

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Zynia Hamilton and Antwan Green Spotlight Picture 2016Zynia Hamilton & Antwan Green
New Life Christian Academy
Troy, AL

As a young single mother, LaSonya Hamilton has faced her share of challenges in life.  But instead of being defeated by her hardships, she has instead used it as fuel to create a better life for her children, Zynia Hamilton and Antwan Green.  Seeing firsthand what a powerful tool education can be in determining one’s future success, LaSonya was intent on finding the right learning environment for Zynia and Antwan.  Scholarships from the AAA Scholarship Foundation have made that goal possible for her family, bridging financial gaps and helping her children thrive in a school that exceeds her expectations.

 

At just 14 years old, LaSonya became a mom when her daughter Zynia was born.  As a frightened teen mom overwhelmed with the responsibility of a baby, many people expected LaSonya to drop out of school and give up.  But that was not the case.

 

“Zynia changed my life,” LaSonya says.  “She pushed me to do better.  She was my reason to do better.”

 

LaSonya knew that she had to focus on her education if she wanted to give herself and Zynia a fighting chance for a better life.  So with the help from her own mother, who took a night shift position so that she could help take care of Zynia during the day, LaSonya completed the next few years of high school.  Zynia was by her mother’s side through it all – homework, exams, prom, and finally graduation.  With her high school diploma in hand, LaSonya set her sights on her next goal: higher education.  She started college the next fall with high hopes of building a future for them both.  However, during her first year of college, LaSonya became pregnant with her son, Antwan, and made the decision to move to Troy, Ala., with her mom.

 

LaSonya enrolled Zynia at the local public school in Troy, where she seemed to do alright the first few years.  Her grades were good, but there was something missing.  In class, Zynia was always quiet – shying away from actively participating in class activities and would only speak if her teachers called upon her.  LaSonya was worried that the school’s setting was not helping Zynia grow and feared that it would hinder her future success.

 

Around this time, Antwan was attending the preschool program at New Life Christian Academy, where he was getting a head start on his education.  LaSonya noticed the expanded opportunities and learning experiences that Antwan was being exposed to at the school and began to feel like Zynia needed a similar environment to bring her out of her shell and grasp her full potential.  After looking into the elementary school program at New Life, LaSonya was certain that it would be the perfect environment for Zynia.  However, as a single mom who worked hard to make ends meet, affording the tuition was nearly out of reach – especially if she wanted to keep Antwan at New Life as he entered grade school.

 

Determined to make it work, LaSonya worked extra hours in between her own college classes, made sacrifices, and stretched finances in order to pay for the tuition.  But she knew these efforts would just be a temporary solution and it became clear that she would either have to find additional financial resources to afford the tuition or she would have to pull both of her children out of the school that they loved so much, possibly disrupting their education.  Just when she thought she had run out of options, she was overjoyed to learn that her application to the AAA Scholarship Foundation had been approved and both of her children would receive scholarships to attend New Life in the fall of 2015.

 

Zynia and Antwan have both continued to excel at New Life.  Since attending the school, Zynia, who just completed 5th grade, has opened up and actively participates in her classes, and has formed positive friendships with her classmates.  She loves math and continually excels in the subject, even serving as a tutor to other students.  Antwan – although he only just completed Kindergarten – has become an avid reader and is developing fine penmanship skills, including cursive handwriting.  Both children also participate in the school’s extracurricular activities, including dance and softball.

 

For LaSonya, the scholarship program has helped to alleviate a great amount of stress, as she no longer has to constantly worry about how she will afford her children’s tuition or taking them out of a school that is helping to foster their future success.  Instead, she has been able to work on creating a better life for her family.  With her children as her inspiration, LaSonya graduated in December 2015 with her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, a symbolic prize for the years of hard work and sacrifices she and her family made.

 

“The AAA Scholarship Foundation opened up so many doors for my family,” says LaSonya.  “The opportunities we have been given are not taken lightly.  We are so thankful to those donors and others that give families like mine the ability to overcome financial and educational obstacles and give our children a chance for a promising future.”

 

About AAA Scholarship Foundation
The typical AAA Scholarship student is an ethnic minority living with a struggling single parent/caregiver in a high crime community. The average household income of families accepted to receive scholarships is $23,559 for a family of four. 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 care about their future, look for viable options. They seek an atmosphere that challenges their child to reverse inadequate learning and/or 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 Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Nevada and Pennsylvania by corporations that redirect a portion of their state tax liability to the AAA Scholarship Foundation in exchange for a tax credit (dollar for dollar in Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Georgia and Nevada, and up to 90 percent in Pennsylvania).  The AAA Scholarship Foundation is one of the only approved Scholarship 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Organizations exclusively serving qualifying low-income, disabled and/or displaced students through these Scholarship Tax Credit programs. 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 story.

Jeremiah Sanchez

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Jeremiah Sanchez Student Spotlight Picture 2016Jeremiah Sanchez
The ABBIE School
Tucson, AZ

 

The beaming smile that shines through in Jeremiah Sanchez’s photo speaks volumes for how much he has overcome in the short amount of time he has spent at The ABBIE School in Tucson, Arizona.  As a child with Autism, his struggles in school and life have become harder over the years.  However, a scholarship from the AAA Scholarship Foundation has enabled him to receive an education tailored to his individual needs and he is soaring.

 

Jeremiah, currently in the 6th grade, is the oldest of four children.  For most of his young life, his mother Amber Sanchez – who works as a waitress at Denny’s restaurant –struggled as a single parent to make ends meet and provide for her children.  (It was not until recently that she met and married her husband Gerardo, who also works at Denny’s as a cook and now fulfills the role of a father figure to her children).

 

Although Amber enrolled Jeremiah in education programs at age 3, he had a difficult time in school from the start.  He failed and had to repeat Kindergarten.  He was bullied by classmates and had no friends.  Amber figured that her son was just facing difficulties and that it was something they would deal with over time.  However, as she started doing research on Autism, his behaviors and actions made more sense.  She began to understand him better, and in turn, see how the educational environment he was in could help or hurt him.

 

Jeremiah’s challenges began to deepen the older he got.  He dealt with constant anxiety both in and out of school.  Everyday life became harder for him and it spread to other areas of his home life.

 

“For Jeremiah and many other children like him, tasks that other people would consider simple, are hard,” Amber Sanchez says.  “For example, making a bed is a challenge, but taking apart a car is easy.  My son needed an environment that could help him learn the way his mind is built to learn, while giving him the educational and life skills necessary to become a successful adult.”

 

As she began to better understand her son’s needs, it became clear that the local public school was not a good fit for him.  The final straw for Amber came during the beginning of Jeremiah’s sixth grade year, when he came home from school covered head to toe in red paint that other children had poured on him.  In that moment, she knew she had to make an immediate change to save her son from a disastrous future.  But finding the right school – and determining how to afford the tuition – was the challenge she faced.

 

As Amber searched for school options in the Tucson area, she came across The ABBIE School, which encompasses an educational style and specialty that could address Jeremiah’s unique needs.   It was through the school that Amber also learned about the Lexie’s Law Program, a scholarship for special needs students available through the AAA Scholarship Foundation, which would help ease the financial burden and enable them to enroll Jeremiah at The ABBIE School.

 

Jeremiah was approved for the scholarship and enrolled at The ABBIE School in the fall of 2015.  Within a couple months, Jeremiah underwent drastic changes.  He went from a child who was constantly bullied by his peers to one who is able to form new friendships with his classmates.  Once a child who was withdrawn, he performed – with a speaking role – in his first Christmas play in December 2015.  His home life has improved greatly as well.  Attending the school – where students are referred to as “scholars” – has made him feel special, a place that he gets to go where he has his own friends and attends classes that he enjoys.

 

The school has even helped stir up his own ambitions for the future and he now dreams of studying computer programming and coding, and inventing his own games.

 

For Amber, Jeremiah’s experience thus far has given her tremendous hope.

 

“I can now see a future for my son,” she says through a voice full of emotion and gratitude.  “It goes beyond just overcoming his struggles in school.  He is a different child now.  One that has hope for attending college and having a career.  I am grateful that he was given the opportunity to advance in life.  None of this would have been possible without the AAA Scholarship Foundation and its donors.  Thank you!”

Click here for a pdf of this student spotlight.

Georgia Income-Based Scholarships

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Georgia Income-based Scholarship

Georgia ScholarshipFor more than 15 years, the AAA Scholarship Foundation staff has been working in the school choice movement to help eligible low-income students afford to attend the schools that best fit their learning needs. Our belief always has been, and will continue to be that “access to quality education should not be dependent on a family’s zip code.” AAA is a customer-service driven, student-focused organization. We work to maximize the dollars available for scholarships by keeping our overhead low and focusing our efforts on our core mission, helping students succeed.

In 2010, the AAA Scholarship Foundation started administering tax credit scholarships in Georgia specifically for low and middle income families with higher accountability requirements than required by law. In order to prove their eligibility, households must complete AAA’s online application and provide supporting documentation. Each household must meet both the state and AAA’s requirements. The application for this scholarship is available as soon as March 2016.

Despite efforts, elementary education throughout the United States has plateaued in the past several years instead of progressing. Average reading and math scores are not steadily increasing the way they have in the past, and Georgia specifically has been performing below the rest of the nation when it comes to reading and math proficiency. With the help of AAA Scholarships, we believe that parents know their children best and we trust they can decide on the best school choice to benefit their kids.

For AAA Scholarship Foundation, making academic achievement accessible for low-income families is our goal and we do this by passionately advocating for the under-served, under-represented and academically disadvantaged members of our communities.

For more information on how our scholarship foundation is helping low-income families and those with children experiencing learning disabilities, or physical disabilities in Florida, Georgia, Arizona, Alabama, Pennsylvania and Nevada, visit our website.

Daniel Maldonado

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Daniel Maldonado Student Spotlight Picture 2016Daniel Maldonado
International Christian Academy
Las Vegas, NV

As a single mother on a limited income, Heidi Maldonado works hard to ensure that her son, eight-year-old Daniel, is given the tools to reach his fullest potential in life – including a strong educational foundation.  However, living in the state of Nevada – where the education system is ranked last in the nation[1] – Heidi knew early on that not every learning environment is suited for every child and that she must play an active role to ensure that her son does well in school.

Heidi and Daniel’s father divorced when Daniel was only two years old.  Soon after the divorce, Heidi’s mother moved in with Heidi and Daniel, helping to provide a support system and alleviating some of the financial burden.  With some of their living expenses offset through this arrangement, Heidi was able to send Daniel to International Christian Academy from preschool until first grade.  The school helped to draw out Daniel’s natural abilities and he advanced quickly in reading and other areas.  However, after Heidi’s mother moved out, Heidi could no longer afford the private school tuition and decided to move Daniel to the local public school.

The move to a new school was a hard adjustment on Daniel, as he tried to get used to the different environment, which included a larger class size with less individualized attention.  Additionally, Daniel was too advanced for his grade level, and Heidi was disappointed to find out that the second grade class was covering lessons and academic skills that Daniel had already mastered in Kindergarten.  To add additional challenges to the situation, the school also mistakenly placed Daniel in an English as a Second Language Program, even though he did not speak Spanish and had a strong skillset in English.  In fact, he was already reading on the fourth grade level in second grade, putting him significantly ahead of his other classmates.

No longer being challenged, Daniel soon became bored in class after completing the daily assignments before his other classmates, and the teacher was not able to redesign the lessons to challenge him.  He would use his free time to write stories every day – which are now collected in a large folder his mother keeps at home.  Heidi was glad to learn her son was so advanced, but worried that without a challenging curriculum to keep him engaged, he would become stagnant or lose interest in school all together.  Therefore, Heidi tried to supplement his schoolwork by giving him extra assignments to work on at home.  Additionally, knowing that his teacher was already stretched thin with 30 other children and no aide in the classroom, Heidi would take time off from work when she could to come volunteer in his class in an effort to help.  However, as time went on, she knew Daniel would need to be in a more challenging environment to help him continue to grow and not lose interest in school.

When the Nevada Educational Choice Scholarship was created in 2015 and the AAA Scholarship Foundation opened up applications for income-qualified families, Heidi knew she had found her solution and applied for a scholarship for Daniel.  Once they were approved to receive the scholarship, she did not hesitate to move him back to International Christian Academy, even though it was already in the middle of the first quarter of the new school year.  She knew Daniel’s strong abilities as a quick learner – combined with the hands-on staff at International Christian – would enable him to make the transition easily.

Heidi’s instincts were correct.  After only being back at International Christian Academy for six weeks, Daniel was already excelling in his third grade class.  In math, he went from adding double digits to being able to multiply and divide – all in less than two months.  He is also continuing to excel in reading and writing.  Beyond that, Heidi is most pleased to see Daniel’s excitement about learning has returned.  As a parent, for Heidi the scholarship has alleviated the financial burden as well as the stress she was experiencing trying to keep her child engaged in learning.

“Knowing that my son is being challenged in school and equipped with the knowledge and skills to reach his full potential gives me a peace of mind,” says Heidi.  “It has positively impacted our lives at home as well.  Rather than worrying about creating separate assignments that will challenge and engage him, I am able to play a supporting role at home, helping to reinforce what is being taught at school and focus on providing for Daniel in other areas of his life.  I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the AAA Scholarship Foundation and the generous donors that make this program possible.  Thank you!”

About AAA Scholarship Foundation
The typical AAA Scholarship student is an ethnic minority living with a struggling single parent/caregiver in a high crime community. The average household income of families accepted to receive scholarships is $23,559 for a family of four. 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 care about their future, look for viable options. They seek an atmosphere that challenges their child to reverse inadequate learning and/or 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 Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Nevada and Pennsylvania by corporations that redirect a portion of their state tax liability to the AAA Scholarship Foundation in exchange for a tax credit (dollar for dollar in Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Georgia and Nevada, and up to 90 percent in Pennsylvania).  The AAA Scholarship Foundation is one of the only approved Scholarship 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Organizations exclusively serving qualifying low-income, disabled and/or displaced students through these Scholarship Tax Credit programs. 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.

[1] Kids Count Data Center. (2014). The Annie E. Casey Foundation. http://datacenter.kidscount.org/.

A Spotlight on the Salgado Brothers

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UnknownSchool plays a necessary and crucial role in the lives of each and every child. What and how children learn has a major impact on their future success and, even more importantly, their happiness. However, deciding what school a child should attend and how to pay for said school is not always an easy process. With every young student facing different obstacles and challenges, it is not always a given that public school will be the best choice. Many children need a more challenging atmosphere, different stimulation, alternate learning opportunities, or a different social setting in order to effectively learn. Finding and providing the right learning environment for children is half the battle, and one that can make all the difference.

While many parents would move mountains to ensure their child’s future success and would do whatever it takes to create a positive academic and social experience, not all can afford to do so. However, the AAA Scholarship Foundation strives to give all parents and children another option.

The AAA Scholarship Foundation generally provides students financial aid to pursue other options. This foundation has taken countless struggling students and given them the opportunity that every child deserves; an opportunity to feel comfortable in their learning environment and to find individual success.

Amongst the foundation’s many success stories are brothers Alexander and Sebastian Salgado who are thriving at their new school, Brunswick Christian Academy. Both boys originally attended a local public school that, despite good accolades, wasn’t meeting their individual, social and academic needs.

Alexander, the older of the two boys, experienced bullying that caused his school performance and happiness to suffer. His brother, Sebastian, faced his own physical and mental struggles that caused anxiety, tantrums, and other major issues in and out of school. Determined to improve the quality of life and education for both boys, parents, Sheila and Fermin, applied for and received the AAA Scholarships necessary to send their children to BCA. The individual attention and educational environment that the academy provides has altered the path of both boys immeasurably, and they are both thriving.

The impact that the AAA Scholarship Foundation has had on the Salgado family is just one example of what the organization has done and continues to do for children in need of an alternative learning environment. The scholarship provided Alexander with the opportunity to find his passions, look forward to school, and enjoy the learning process. Similarly, it has paved the way for Sebastian to improve behaviorally, socially, and academically. Sheila and Fermin can now watch their children embark on a path that might not have been possible without the aid of a scholarship from AAA. They can now see their sons reach their full potential and achieving their goals.

The AAA Scholarship Foundation has given families like the Salgados opportunities that will go beyond kindergarten and grade school. This organization provides the stepping-stones for children to learn effectively enjoy their time at school, and to build any lives they might want. Together with its donors, the AAA Scholarship Foundation has found a way to give children the futures they deserve.

Keeping Children Motivated Through the School Year

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kids at school-saidaonlineIt’s that time again. The excitement of winter break and the holiday season is over, and your kids are back in school. How can they possibly sit still for six hours of the day to learn equations and pronouns when they so fondly remember last week when they were free to roam and play with their friends throughout the day. It is hard enough for adults to get back into the swing of things, and for kids it is no different, if not harder.

Parents and caregivers can play a big role in assisting their kids to get motivated through the semester. Teaching kids how to stay encouraged now will benefit them in the future when they become more independent and have to learn to self-motivate. Students who are unmotivated or inattentive are less likely to benefit from their curriculum. The following five tips can help you get your kid back into a positive school routine.

  1. Don’t limit learning to the classroom: What your child learns within the classroom is crucial to his/her intellectual progress, however simply asking about the things they learn at school and showing enthusiasm for school topics at home can generate a positive attitude toward learning.
  1. Celebrate all achievements: Positive reinforcement can inspire kids to want to learn and challenge themselves. Every triumph, no matter how small should be acknowledged. Achievements can mean anything from finishing a homework assignment to getting an A on a test and all can be rewarded with small special treats.
  1. Get Involved: Putting aside some time, even with a busy schedule, can be beneficial to a child’s commitment to work and the importance they put toward school. Helping him/her to organize papers and assignments or assisting with homework can take some stress off a kid’s shoulders, ensuring they aren’t overwhelmed.
  1. Be kind, yet firm: When you feel yourself becoming frustrated, recognize that your student likely is as well. Try giving your child a break to do something physical to work off the negative energy while recharging. Then settle right back in for more school work.
  1. It’s not your fault: Remember, a lack of motivation is not your fault so do not take it personally. Instead get to know your child well enough to figure out what drives him/her, and from there you can work on inspiring them.

Keeping kids motivated during the second half of the year is a difficult task, especially for younger kids. As a caregiver, being aware of this is the first step toward creating a better attitude about learning. With your help, your child will keep on track and continue a successful school year.

“But When Will I Ever Use This?” An Open Letter to Teachers, Students and Parents

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Students-in-classroomIt’s an age old question. Students of all ages have been taught (against their will) seemingly “useless” information for generations and have always struggled to relate to most subjects outside the classroom. This is an innate problem with today’s education system in the sense that a lack of relevance causes students to simply learn facts and regurgitate them without ever grasping a full understanding of the topics. But what needs to change in order to make subjects like Algebra, Chemistry and Physics more relevant in students’ lives? The truth of the matter is that change can (and should) really come from all fronts. If students, teachers and parents alike make a conscious effort to make lessons more relevant and engaging, we can create a culture in which students are passionate about learning even the driest of subjects because they know how it relates to them and how it can benefit them in the future.

 

Educator Robin Roberson defines relevance as the perception that something is both interesting and worth knowing. This is one of the most vital steps in education, but can also serve as a tough obstacle for many teachers in classrooms full of unmotivated students. That being said, educators everywhere should be on the front lines of the movement to make school relevant. It creates an environment where students expect to know how the subject will relate to their lives rather than assuming they don’t relate at all from the beginning. Thankfully, there are tested tools and activities that can be employed to aid in the creation of this environment. Two motivational tools to pique student interests are large pieces of the relevance puzzle and can reach a variety of students: utility value and relatedness.

 

Utility value is a tool that is academic by nature and latches on to the future goals of your students. Know a student who wants to be an engineer one day? Physics may be a dry, uninteresting subject to the average student, but to a student with career goals in engineering, physics will be both inherently interesting and used tremendously over the next several years. Point this out to students that have expressed interest in certain career paths, and make sure they know that it’s great to be interested in certain subjects (even when the average student dreads them). Tell them how each lesson would apply to the engineering field and how they would use the knowledge throughout their career. It transforms the information to very interesting and worth knowing. Utility value takes students that already have a knack for something and turns that knack into a passion.

 

We know what you’re thinking: if every student could just know what their future goals are and state their interests, your job would be infinitely easier. For those students who aren’t meeting you halfway, there’s the relatedness tool. Showing your students you can relate to them is an inherent need in education, as it helps to form a trusting relationship between you and your students. If they know you keep them in mind throughout your lesson plans, they feel like the information is more catered to them and, in turn, they are more likely to listen and engage in what you have to say. Find out what non-academic interests your students have and find ways to relate to them through your teaching. This involves finding ways in which your subject relates to the non-academic world, which is really the bread and butter of relevance in education.

 

There are several examples that we pull from in this infographic, but always look for creative ways to relate to your individual students. Do your biology students not understand why they need to dissect a frog? Point out the similarities between the anatomies of frogs and humans. While we can’t dissect humans, frogs are very similar, and this is one of the best ways to get an in-person glance at our physiology. If they ever have a surgery, they can think back to what they learned in the dissection lesson and ask smart questions to educate themselves on the goings-on in their bodies. Have a student in your English class that struggles to see the purpose of developing their writing composition skills? Put it in a real world scenario for them. While they may not end up as a journalist or lawyer, chances are they may need to file an insurance claim at some point in the future. If they can’t string two well thought out sentences together, they may not get the resolve in their case that they deserve.

In order for the relatedness tool to really work, you have to get to know your students and their interests. Two activities that Roberson has employed over the years have helped immensely in relating to her students and promoting engaging and interesting lessons with them. The first is an in depth class introduction session at the beginning of each term. She uses this as a time for her students to share a few things about themselves, where she can learn what their interests are (both academic and non-academic) as well as any goals they have for the future that can be used to relate with them in future lessons. She also uses this as an opportunity to tell her students about herself, helping to establish herself as an approachable presence in and out of the classroom. The second tool is utilized alongside assigned reading assignments throughout the duration of her class. Students are assigned to specific readings to be completed before each class, and are assigned to write a one to two page reflection paper on each reading. In these compositions, they are to draw parallels between the assigned passage and a personal experience that they have had in the past. This helps her students to understand the passage more deeply and form relevant connections between the subject matter and their everyday lives. She reads each reflection before the next class session and uses some of the anecdotes in class discussions, helping to even further deepen her students’ understanding of the subject matter and keep a congruent, conversational tone in the classroom.

It is definitely apparent that teachers can do a lot to keep their students interested in the subject matter they are presenting to them. While teachers can bend over backwards in efforts to increase classroom engagement, students and parents must take the initiative as well for the culture we seek to fully come to fruition. Students and their parents know student interests more than anyone else. Make sure that students are being vocal about their interests in and out of the classroom to their teachers. Continually ask how a lesson can be applied to real world scenarios. Keep pushing teachers to draw parallels for students, and they’ll keep pushing students to grasp them and fully understand why they should pay attention. It won’t work if it’s just the teachers putting in all the effort to reach their students. The culture of academic engagement comes from a series of moving and working parts in which each party is actively pursuing a relevant learning experience. No matter who you are, it starts with you. Put forth the effort and begin to see the change happening.

Communicating with Your Kids’ Teachers

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Father helping son with his schoolwork

Several studies show that a consistently open line of communication between a student’s parents and their teachers can greatly benefit their learning experience and overall academic success.  A large percentage (nearly 80%) of parents consider themselves to be very involved with their child’s education. This is to be somewhat expected in the age of technology we live in today with school websites and email correspondence making it easier than ever to get in touch with teachers. Some experts feel that we are underutilizing the tools we have, however, given the level of communication we have access to. Results are showing that it’s not so much about the quantity of communication you have with teachers, but more about the quality. These 3 practices will help you more effectively communicate with your kid’s teachers to help achieve the best results for your child’s success.

 

Be Proactive

If a student has problems in the classroom (whether behavioral or academic), many parents don’t hear about it until it’s already considered a “problem.” A bit of proactivity from the parental front can do wonders in the day to day performance of your child’s learning experience and foresee a potential issue before it becomes a disruption in the classroom. Weekly email correspondence with teachers can help you stay on top of your child’s education and understand your child’s specific needs outside the classroom to set them up for success. A consistently open line of communication with teachers lets you know where your child is struggling, where they are excelling, and what actions you can take to aid both your child and their teacher in class. Seek out progress reports (both in academics and conduct) so you know where your child stands and what their strengths and weaknesses are. A full understanding of your child’s schooling situation and performance is a vital step in creating an environment in which your child strives to achieve academic excellence.

 

Recognize Success

One common problem with parent-teacher communication is that parents often only hear about the negatives when it comes to their child’s classroom performance. Be sure to seek out positive feedback from teachers, and hold it in the same regard as negative feedback. Negative feedback is imperative because it allows you to work on correcting the problem with your child outside the classroom, but positive feedback is just as vitally important as it gives you the opportunity to celebrate success with your child. Discussions about school should not be reserved exclusively for when problems arise. Rather, a full well rounded approach to discussing the good, the bad and the ugly of school stimuli and performance. Praising your child for academic success also provides them incentive for consistent academic achievement.

 

Be Receptive

When a student is consistently struggling, it is important to listen to the teacher’s perspective on the problem. Teachers spend consistent time with your child, and the way your student performs in school is a huge part of their life. Be sure not to shut your teacher out of the equation by writing off what they have to say. They have a different perspective on and relationship with your child than you do, and it is crucial to hear every side of the problem when problems arise, either with academics or conduct. Collaborating with teachers on effective solutions is often the most surefire way to help your child find success and happiness in the classroom.

All in all, the main focus here is to take an active role in your child’s education. Teachers are always available to answer questions you may have. Keep in regular contact with them, attend conferences, and do anything you can to get involved in your child’s learning experience. The more integral a role you play in their school life, the more engaged their thought processes and feelings about school will be. Parents play as vital a role in their child’s academic success as teachers do. Both parents and teachers working together for a student’s success is the best way to achieve it.  

Alexander & Sebastian Salgado

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Salgado Children - Nov 2015

Salgado Children – Nov 2015

Alexander and Sebastian Salgado
Brunswick Christian Academy
Brunswick, GA

Brothers Alexander and Sebastian Salgado are thriving at their parent-selected school, Brunswick Christian Academy (BCA) – a school that they are able to attend with a scholarship from the AAA Scholarship Foundation.  Both boys have been able to overcome their own individual struggles at this school, and their parents are desperate to keep them on the path to success – a hope that can only be made possible through the corporate community’s support of this tax credit scholarship program.

Alexander, 11, is now in his second year on the scholarship program as a sixth-grader at BCA.  Each day he is eager to go to school where he is welcomed with a community of support from teachers and fellow classmates.  However, things were much different for Alexander just a few short years ago when he was attending his local public school.  Although it was a good school, he faced bullying from other children on a daily basis.  Worried for her son’s physical and mental wellbeing, Sheila Salgado attempted to get the problem resolved through the school staff, but the bullying continued and it impacted Alexander’s performance in school.

Sheila and her husband Fermin searched for alternative solutions for their son, and found their answer at Brunswick Christian Academy.   Unable to afford the tuition on their own, the school staff informed them about the Georgia Qualified Education Expense Tax Credit Program available through the AAA Scholarship Foundation.  They were overjoyed to learn that they met the income qualifications, and soon submitted an application.  Due to the high demand for the scholarship, they were placed on a waitlist, but Alexander finally received a scholarship to attend BCA for his fifth grade year.   Now in the sixth grade, Alexander is excelling with mainly all A’s in his classes and dreams of becoming a pastor one day.  Each day, he is excited about school and is hopeful that he will be able to continue there in the years to come.

The school has also had a tremendous impact on Alexander’s younger brother Sebastian.  Sebastian, 5, was born seven weeks premature and has faced many challenges in his young life.  He suffers from a motor and sensory disorder, has multiple fears and anxieties, and there is even a possibility that he may be on the autism spectrum.  Prior to receiving the AAA Scholarship to attend BCA, Sebastian attended Pre-K at the local public school.  Unfortunately, it turned out to be a bad experience for him.  His anxiety would cause him to get sick every day before going to his class and he missed a lot of school.  He would throw major tantrums and did not communicate with other children.  The simple task of leaving the house was a struggle for the family.  As the problems escalated, Sheila and Fermin knew they would need to make a change to save their son from continuing this downward spiral.  While they consulted doctors to address the issues he was facing, they also knew they needed to place him in an educational environment that could provide him with more individualized attention.

The answer came when Sheila was able to receive the AAA Scholarship for Sebastian to also attend BCA with his brother for Kindergarten for the 2015-16 school year.  To say that Sebastian has made a vast improvement in a short amount of time would be an understatement.  The one-on-one attention and support from his dedicated teacher and the staff at the school, combined with reinforcement at home, has made all the difference in the world.  Academically, he is starting to catch up with his peers.  He started school in August not even being able to recite the alphabet and can now write his name (and in cursive).  He has also improved behaviorally and socially.  He now plays with other children – and even has a best friend, a big step for a child that once struggled to communicate with his classmates.  At home, his whole demeanor has changed as well.  The tantrums have subsided and Sheila is able to enjoy even the simple things, like being able to take pictures of Sebastian – something he would absolutely not allow her to do before.

When asked what the scholarship means to her family, Sheila holds back tears of happiness and gratitude.  “I cannot put into words what this opportunity has meant for our family,” Sheila says.  “The AAA Scholarship Foundation and its donors have given my sons the ability to attend a school where their individual needs can be met and they can overcome so many struggles.  This program has changed our lives for the better, and for that, we are truly grateful.”

About AAA Scholarship Foundation
The typical AAA Scholarship student is an ethnic minority living with a struggling single parent/caregiver in a high crime community. The average household income of families accepted to receive scholarships is $23,559 for a family of four. 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 care about their future, look for viable options. They seek an atmosphere that challenges their child to reverse inadequate learning and/or 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 Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Nevada and Pennsylvania by corporations that redirect a portion of their state tax liability to the AAA Scholarship Foundation in exchange for a tax credit (dollar for dollar in Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Georgia and Nevada, and up to 90 percent in Pennsylvania).  The AAA Scholarship Foundation is one of the only approved Scholarship 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Organizations exclusively serving qualifying low-income, disabled and/or displaced students through these Scholarship Tax Credit programs. 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 for a pdf of this student spotlight: Salgado Children

Hitting the Hay: Is Your Sleep Schedule Affecting Your Everyday Life?

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sleep_banner_freeThe constant struggle to get enough sleep has been a battle that students and adults alike have been fighting for generations. Now more than ever, students are finding themselves stretching their days and shrinking their nights in order to keep up with the academic, extracurricular, familial and social obligations bestowed upon teens in today’s world. Ironic, in the sense that the hours taken away from sleep to adhere to these responsibilities is actually negatively impacting each of these areas, along with a slew of other facets of their physical and mental well being. One study found that as little as 15% of high school students get 8 hours or more on school nights. Research shows that teenagers should be sleeping at least 8 to 10 hours a night to achieve a healthy level of deep sleep and be fully functional throughout the day. How does your child’s sleep schedule line up with that recommendation?

Sleep deprivation can be cause for serious concern when it comes to the health and success of our students. Teens that don’t get enough sleep find serious dips in their learning, listening, concentration and problem solving abilities, and simple memory functions such as names, dates and numbers fall by the wayside easily. Sleep deprivation can lead to aggressive or inappropriate behavior, cause mood swings, and bring about an increase in risky behavior. Driving while sleep deprived is also very dangerous; about 100,000 car crashes a year are caused by tired drivers, resulting in about 1,500 deaths.

Many physical issues can arise as a result of sleep deprivation as well. Sleep is used as the time to regroup and rebuild your cells, and has a hand in healing and repairing parts of your body on a daily basis. Going extended periods of time without sleep can increase one’s risk for heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and stroke. Risks for obesity go up as your impulse control and metabolism plummet, acne breakouts are far more common, and hormone imbalances through puberty are prevalent when teens spend too little time sleeping.

So what, then, should we do? Students are going to remain busy. Lives of teenagers are going to stay hectic. 24 measly hours in a day are never going to feel like enough.

The biggest solution found by researchers is to simply prioritize sleeping in your life. Be mindful of your sleep schedules and patterns throughout your everyday life and try to adjust your daily choices according to what your body needs. Get your body clock ticking regularly again by eating meals at consistent times, and try to go to bed and wake up around the same time each day as well (yes, even on the weekend; “catching up” on sleep can cause your sleep schedule to fall out of balance if you’re not careful. It’s better to get a few more hours throughout the week than to throw your body out of whack every weekend). Try to kick caffeine for a week or two and see how your body reacts when bed time comes around, and always avoid caffeine after around 3 pm. Try replacing your caffeine intake with a daily dose of exercise; studies show that just 30 minutes of exercise daily can boost endorphin levels enough to give you energy throughout the day and settle down for a good night’s rest every evening. Make your bedroom your sleep sanctuary. Don’t eat, watch television, or do homework in bed. Make your bedroom for sleep and sleep alone, and your body will be conditioned to that routine.

The two biggest factors contributing to a healthy sleeping routine are mindfulness and consistency. If you can stay consistently mindful (and mindfully consistent) when it comes to your daily dose of rest, you’re well on your way to a healthier, more energized, more functional and more well rested you. Get sleeping!