AAA Scholarship Foundation

We Make Academic Achievement Accessible

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CRA Information for Bank Contributors

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For banks there is an added benefit to participating in the tax credit scholarship program through the AAA Scholarship Foundation, as examiners at the bank regulatory agencies have approved dollars transferred to fund scholarships through this program to qualify for positive consideration under the CRA investment test.

Each of our financial institutions that has enrolled in the tax credit scholarship program, and has been examined, has received positive consideration under the CRA investment test. This qualified investment would be considered as a “charitable contribution.” The regulation states that a “qualified investment is not disqualified because an institution receives favorable treatment for it (for example, as a tax deduction or credit)…”

In addition, bank contributions can be allocated to the bank’s specific assessment area(s) to insure that the bank’s investment is serving their geographic footprint.

Since the community development purpose of this program is to serve low-income children (only those that qualify for the national free or reduced lunch program), below are the demographics of the children served (this information is updated every quarter):

Average Family Size: 4

Average Family Income: $23,559*

Single Parent Home: 60%

*This income needs to be compared to the area median income (“AMI”) of the specific county to determine whether it’s at or below 30% (extremely low), 50% (low) or 80% (moderate) of the AMI to insure qualifying as a CRA investment.

For additional information please contact Kerri Vaughan, Managing Director • AAA Scholarship Foundation • www.aaascholarships.org • Cell: 786-367-0823   • Office: 888-707-2465 ext 730 • kerri@aaascholarships.org

Click here for a printable version of this document.

Blessing Dosumu

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Blessing Dosumu Student Spotlight Fall 2016Blessing Dosumu
Young Americans Christian School
Conyers, GA

Both Kelvin and Helen Dosumu immigrated to the United States from Nigeria, West Africa, several years ago, in search of expanded opportunities.  After marrying and having a daughter, whom they named Blessing, they knew that they wanted to give their child every opportunity possible for a successful life, including a quality education in a safe environment.

As residents of Conyers, Ga., they were aware that crime in the area was prevalent – with the crime rate in the area averaging 80 percent higher than the rest of the state of Georgia and 110 percent higher than the national average.  Therefore, when it came time for Blessing to start school, they wanted to make sure that their daughter would be in a safe environment and one that would help her get a jumpstart on her education.  Unfortunately, they were not satisfied with her assigned public school and so they opted to send her to a private school – Woodlee’s Christian Academy, which provided an academic program that suited Blessing’s learning needs and provided a safe environment that put her parents’ minds at ease.  At the time, Kelvin’s job enabled them to fit the tuition into the family’s budget, even if it made finances tight.  Their daughter’s safety and academic future were top priority.

Blessing excelled at her parent-selected school, regularly bringing home A’s and making the school honor roll.    Unfortunately, Kelvin lost his job before Blessing began the third grade, putting the family in a position where they could no longer afford the tuition.  With seemingly no other options, they had to transfer Blessing from a school where she was excelling to their area public school.  Because of their prior research on schools in the area, they knew the area public school was not a good fit for their daughter and worried about the impact the environment would have on her progress.

Desperate to find a way for Blessing to transfer back to Woodlee’s Christian to continue her education, they learned about the Georgia tax credit scholarships available through AAA Scholarship Foundation.  Eager to keep their daughter on track, Helen and Kelvin applied for the scholarship immediately and were elated when they learned Blessing was approved.

“The AAA Scholarship gave us hope and the ability to send our daughter to a school that brings out the best in her academic abilities,” says Helen.

Blessing continued to thrive at Woodlee’s Christian and at the beginning of the 2014-15 school year, she transferred to Young Americans Christian School (YACS) for her 5th grade year.  YACS is a school that was founded by area families, who just like the Dosumu family, were seeking a quality educational environment for their children.  The school began with just 24 preschool students who met in a local church facility.  As demand for the school’s educational services grew, and with support from the community, additional grade levels were added over the years.  Today, YACS serves more than 500 students, making it the largest private school in Rockdale and Newton counties.  In addition to its traditional educational programs, YACS has also added a STEM LEGO curriculum for elementary school students, as well as a dedicated STEM classroom for middle and high school students, helping to increase student skills in science, technology, engineering and math through fun and engaging activities.

Blessing continues to excel at YACS, bringing home A’s and keeping a spot on the school’s honor roll.  Well aware of the opportunities she has been given through the scholarship, she is taking full advantage of the school’s academic programs and has developed a strong interest in science and math thanks to the YACS robust STEM program.  Although only 12 years old, Blessing has grand aspirations for the future, which include pursuing careers as both a doctor and a singer.

“We are beyond grateful to the AAA Scholarship Foundation and its donors,” says Helen.  “You are giving so many children just like mine the opportunity to truly reach their full potential in school.  In doing so, you are paving the path for them to become successful adults and productive members of their communities.”

 

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).  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.

Michael Ramon

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Michael Ramon St. Joseph Catholic School FLMichael Ramon

St. Joseph Catholic School

Tampa, FL

It was the fall of 2015 and – just like many other parents – Yazandra Ramon was nervous to send her youngest child, Michael, off to start Kindergarten at his area public school.  She wanted to see Michael get a good start on his education and knew that the first years of school would be important to his future success.   As a primarily Spanish-speaking family, she also wanted to make sure that Michael did not fall behind his peers.  And the statistics back up her concerns.  In Florida, 61 percent of 4th graders are reading below proficient, and that number jumps to 91 percent for those students who are English-language learners[i].   It is well documented that children who reach the 4th grade without adequate reading skills are more likely to drop out of high school, negatively impacting their future[ii].

To Yazandra’s relief, Michael did very well during his Kindergarten year.  However, right before he was set to continue on to first grade at the same area public school, the Ramon family received bad news.  They found out that Michael was now zoned for a different public school.  Yazandra was worried about switching Michael from a school where he was excelling and decided to go visit the new school to get a better sense of the learning environment.  Unfortunately, instead of easing her concerns, the visit to the school only increased them.

As she walked around the neighboring area thinking about a solution to her family’s dilemma, she came across St. Joseph Catholic School.  Not knowing what to expect, she walked through the school doors and began talking with the staff about their school and academic program.  Yazandra learned that St. Joseph was part of the Notre Dame ACE Academies and was impressed by the school’s curriculum and culture.  To top it off, St. Joseph’s friendly and safe environment seemed to be a wonderful fit for Michael.  The only problem was the tuition.  The Ramon family works hard to make it on Michael’s father’s income as a construction worker, and there was no room in the budget to afford private school tuition.  However, the school staff informed her that her family may be eligible for a Florida Tax Credit Scholarship from the AAA Scholarship Foundation to help cover the costs for Michael to attend the school.  She immediately applied for the scholarship, hoping that it would be the solution she was looking for.

The day Yazandra received the scholarship approval letter from the AAA Scholarship Foundation, she was overcome with emotions of relief, joy and gratitude.

“Receiving the scholarship made me feel empowered as a parent,” she recalls.  “I now had the ability to choose the school that I knew would be best for my son.”

Now in the first grade at St. Joseph, Michael loves his new school where his favorite subjects are math and science.  He has also developed an interest in music and is learning to play the violin – an art he is able to further expand thanks to St. Joseph’s arts education partnership with Patel Conservatory, a fine arts training center in Tampa.

“The scholarship has been a true gift to our family and not one that we take for granted,” says Yazandra.  “We are so thankful to the AAA Scholarship Foundation and its donors for giving our son the opportunity to learn and grow at a school that is right for him.”

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 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 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.

[i] Annie E. Casey Foundation “Kids Count Data Book 2014”

[ii] Annie E. Casey Foundation “Kids Count Data Book 2014”

Jiovani Hernandez-Almanza

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Jiovani Hernandez Almanza Student Spotlight Picture 2016

Jiovani Hernandez-Almanza

Excel Christian School

Reno/Sparks, NV

Jiovani Hernandez-Almanza struggled in school for as long as his mother, Elizabeth Almanza, could remember.  However, with the right academic setting, supportive teachers and financial assistance from the AAA Scholarship Foundation, Jiovani has completed an incredible turnaround, transitioning from a failing student to one who brings home A’s and B’s and has goals for the future.

Overcoming obstacles is nothing new to the Almanza family.  When Jiovani was four years old, his parents divorced and his father left the country, leaving his mother to care for him alone.  Despite the devastation, Elizabeth vowed to take care of her small family, which included temporarily moving in with her parents to get on her feet.  Determined to make it on her own, Elizabeth often worked two jobs to make ends meet.  Things were tough at times, but the family of two made it one day at a time.

However, one issue that they continued to struggle with was Jiovani’s performance in school.  Jiovani had attended his area public school since Kindergarten, but over the years, Jiovani’s problems in school began to worsen with a mix of social influences and peer pressure from fellow students.  By the time he reached middle school, his grades had plummeted to F’s in all of his classes.  Fearing for her son’s future, Elizabeth looked into the other school options in their area and found what she thought would be a good match for Jiovani at Riverview Christian Academy.  She made sacrifices and scraped up enough money to enable him to enroll in Riverview during his 7th grade year.

Elizabeth’s instincts about the school were right.  After only one semester at the school, Jiovani brought his grades up from F’s to A’s and B’s.

“I saw such a drastic, positive change in my son in those first few months,” Elizabeth recalls.  “The teachers and staff at the school really showed an interest in helping him overcome his struggles and pushing him to succeed, and that made all the difference in the world.”

While Elizabeth was overjoyed with her son’s academic improvement, she still worried about being able to afford the tuition for Jiovani to continue at the school the following year.  She was struggling to make ends meet and affording the tuition seemed out of reach.  However, despite her resistance to ask for financial help, a secretary at Riverview encouraged her to apply for a tax credit scholarship from the AAA Scholarship Foundation.  When she received Jiovani’s scholarship approval letter a short time later, she was overcome with joy and a sense of relief for her son’s future.

Since receiving the scholarship, Jiovani graduated from 8th grade at Riverview Christian and began his freshman year at Excel Christian School in the fall of 2016.   He continues to thrive academically with a strong interest in science, and has even begun playing football for the school team, something he always wanted to do.   Additionally, although he still has a few years before graduation, Jiovani is already thinking about his future plans.  For now, that includes aspirations of joining the United States Navy and serving as a firefighter.

“Since Jiovani was little, I have been determined to provide a great life for him,” Elizabeth Almanza says.   “We have had our share of challenges along the way, but if I see my son succeed, that is all that matters.  The AAA Scholarship Foundation and its donors are making this success possible by giving my son access to educational opportunities that will help him have a promising future, and for that, we are so 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 here for a pdf copy of this student spotlight.

Golden Rule Academy

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Golden Rule Academy
Golden Rule Academy
Fort Pierce, FL

“Community-based” is how Senior Administrator Kimberly Baumgardner describes Golden Rule Academy, a school her mother-in-law Joyce Baumgardner began 12 years ago and one that Kim now oversees.  With its diverse student body – which often includes at-risk youth from surrounding neighborhoods – the leadership and staff have developed a unique learning environment that sets it apart from many traditional private schools, making it a much-needed educational option for children growing up in this Treasure Coast area of Florida.

Golden Rule was created in 2004 out of a simple need to serve students in the community that were struggling in their neighborhood public schools.  The first few students that attended the school did so through donations that covered their tuition and the first teacher’s salary.  However, it soon became clear that there was a greater need within the community, especially for at-risk children from the surrounding areas who desperately needed an alternative learning environment.  Through Florida Tax Credit Scholarships and the McKay Scholarship for Students with Disabilities, many of these children were able to attend the school, where Kim and her staff at Golden Rule welcomed them with open arms.

Every child that attends Golden Rule is treated as an individual – something that is interwoven into the teaching methods used at the school.

“We make it our priority to teach to the unique needs of each child that enters our classrooms,” says Kim.  “We have children from so many different backgrounds and learning needs.  So instead of trying to change the way a child learns, we have adopted a flexible teaching style that makes it possible for them to grasp the subject at hand.”

This kind of flexibility includes field trips and conducting science classes outside, where kids can literally dig in the dirt, experience gardening and botany, and participate in other hands-on lessons.  It also means tailoring teaching methods for different learning needs, such as conducting verbal tests for children that struggle with taking traditional tests.  They also have special needs classes when more intervention-based help is needed, as well as experts that come on campus for in-school tutoring in reading and math. The staff’s dedication to addressing each child’s needs is proving beneficial for the students at Golden Rule.

Simone Tillman, the middle and high school principal, recalls one student that was undergoing speech and occupational therapy and he was behind academically.  Traditionally, he would have been put in a special needs program, but he was determined to stay in class with his peers and the teachers at Golden Rule made that possible.  The one-on-one attention and flexible teaching methods helped him go from a 5th grade level to the 8th grade level that year – helping him catch up with his peers.

In addition to fulfilling the educational needs of their students, the staff also serves as an extended family and support system for children that need additional emotional support and counseling.  And the teachers at the school have dealt with their fair share of difficult and even tragic situations involving their students.

One young man in particular stands out in Kim’s mind – not because of his tragedy, but because of how he has overcome it.  He came to them from a nearby neighborhood where violent crime and gang activity is prevalent.  Kim recalls the morning he arrived at school, only one day after his stepfather had tragically been shot and killed.  She and other staff helped to counsel him that day and continued to provide support over the next few years.  That same young man is now a graduate of Golden Rule who serves as a summer camp counselor-in-training (CIT) at the school and will possibly do a career-based internship with them next year.  On the weekends you can find him on campus serving as a mentor to other at-risk children, helping to encourage them to rise above their circumstances and find a path that will better their futures.

You can hear the pride in Kim’s voice when speaking of him, like he is her own son.  “This is a young man that could very well be on the streets, in gangs just like others around him,” she says.  “But because he was given an opportunity to use education as a way to overcome his situation, he is now destined for success.”

Because many of the children at the school come from low-income and often single-parent homes, the staff has even stepped forward to address other issues – such as hunger.  Several of the teachers noticed children coming to school hungry, making it hard for them to concentrate in class.  Women from the church began bringing in a brown bag lunch and other food to ensure those children didn’t go hungry during the day.  The school is now working to qualify for the National Free and Reduced Lunch Program so that they can provide breakfast and lunch for the children who need it.

Over the last 12 years, the school has grown to serve about 225 students in Kindergarten through 12th grade.  They have developed a well-rounded program that offers traditional academic classes, as well as fine and creative arts such as violin, guitar, keyboarding, and dance.  Athletics include full-contact football, volleyball, basketball, soccer, and cheer.  Golden Rules’ high school students can dual enroll at the college level or take virtual classes to accelerate meeting their educational goals. The school also recently ventured into a new STEM program that garnered recognition for their high school boys.  Golden Rule was the first school in St. Lucie County to compete in the national FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Technology) robotics program.  For six weeks straight, the school’s 9-12th grade boys’ team worked on building their robot – including before and after school and weekends.  Their hard work paid off and they ended up ranking in the top 50 percent.  Next year, with adequate funding, the school hopes to expand the program to include LEGO robotics for elementary through high school students.

Kim credits scholarship organizations like AAA Scholarship Foundation and the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program for making it possible for Golden Rule Academy to serve children whose needs cannot be met in traditional public school settings.

“We are so grateful to the donors who provide the funds for these scholarships for our children,” Kim says.  “We in turn are working to do our part by providing our students with lifelong skills, instilling them with integrity and teaching them how to be logical thinkers, communicators, and role models so that they can serve as the next generation of business and community leaders.”

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.

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.