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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.

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/.

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

Ky’mier Bowie

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Ky'mier Bowie Student Spotlight PictureKy’mier Bowie
Fruitful Ground Christian Education Development Center
Montgomery, AL

“As a parent, your first concern is your child and his or her well-being,” Kristie Davis says of why she was seeking a different academic environment for her child, Ky’mier Bowie.   “I noticed an immediate change in my son when he started attending his assigned school in Montgomery County, Alabama.” Kristie, a single parent knows all too well the challenges of putting her child first while struggling in a difficult environment, but she never wavered from striving not just to survive but to find ways for Ky’mier to succeed.

Kristie saw that her son was struggling in his assigned school, his grades were low and he was unhappy.  “My child had a distinct look in his eyes that displayed low self-esteem and fear,” she says. “I wanted to follow the rules and the procedures given as far as talking to the teachers and school administrators about my son and this sudden change.” However, after many efforts, she realized that the school was not a good fit for her child and she needed to find another option to better serve his needs. As an engaged parent, Kristie knew that she needed help to bridge the access gap to a high quality education. Then she found Fruitful Ground Christian Education Development Center and AAA Scholarship Foundation.

“Before I started attending Fruitful Ground, my family was constantly leaving work to come up to my assigned school because I was frequently getting into fights,” admits Ky’mier.  Kristie was relieved to find support from the teachers and principal at Fruitful Ground.  After hearing her concerns about Ky’mier and his previous experience, they discussed with her plans of action to make sure his needs were met in the new environment.  Often, when a scholarship student transfers from to a new school they are below grade level, struggling and frustrated, and it takes time to adjust to the new setting and expectations.  Ky’mier proudly declares, “Ever since I have come to Fruitful Ground, I have not been in a single fight.”

Expectations of success and thriving were a new concept for Ky’mier at school.  Before, he had just hoped that he survived each day.  In a short time he did a complete turnaround.  Now Kristie says Ky’mier has high self-esteem, making her perseverance worth the effort to find the change that would help her son.  “I sometimes struggle to pay my bills, but thanks to the AAA Scholarship, I know my child is safe in the school that will help him succeed in his future,” she says. “AAA Scholarship Foundation has been a blessing.  This organization helps in many ways that I didn’t know they would! Assistance paying with tuition, books and other fees make his attendance possible for us.”

Fruitful Ground Principal Annetta Tate has worked with students and parents for years.  “The tremendous transformation that I have seen in Ky’mier’s character, social development, and academics is a spotlight in my mind,” she says. “He is now a student that interacts with his teachers and peers.  He has gone from being academically behind to being inducted in our school’s newly formed senior chapter of The National Beta Club.”

Kristie sees the effect of participation every day, saying “The most important and best outcome of the AAA Scholarship program is my son, Ky’mier.  He is happy and he loves school. Today he initiates the conversation about his day before I even ask. Thanks to Fruitful Ground he enjoys learning now and his grades are excellent.”

Annetta says she sees “the great impact the school is able to have on the students’ lives when the financial burden is lifted for those most in need of assistance and access through the AAA Scholarships.”  She has seen time and time again that financial barriers do not indicate the parent doesn’t know what the child needs or that they don’t care what they need; it simply means they are not able to financially provide for the learning environment  they so desperately know their child needs.  Once opportunities are provided, the parents will go to great lengths to grasp the “hand up, not hand out” to access the perfect school that will enable academic achievement for their child.

Kristie glows with pride for her son’s accomplishments in such a short amount of time relaying, “AAA Scholarships are everything a parent could ask for and I am very thankful and appreciative of them and the donors that make the scholarships possible.  From my heart, thank you!”   While Ky’mier adds, “I am grateful for the opportunities ahead of me.”

About Fruitful Ground Christian Education Development Center
Located in Montgomery, Ala., Fruitful Ground commits to provide a safe and caring environment that is conducive for each child’s growth and development in grades 1-12. The school is accredited through A Beka Academy, and serves 40 students – 10 of whom are AAA Scholarship recipients. Fruitful Ground uses the SAT to assess student achievement.  Their program strives to ensure one-on-one attention that adapts to the individual and unique personalities of their students, while encouraging them to excel in their academics.

 

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 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 and Georgia 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:
May_2015_Spotlight_Kymier_Bowie (Final 20150625)

St. John the Evangelist Catholic School

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Arizona has thousands of bright, curious children from all corners of the state and these children possess so much capability and potential talent, but they desperately need opportunities to reach their full potential. That is where St. John the Evangelist Catholic School in Tucson excels.

Teachers at the school remember when their students didn’t need desks with cubbies—they had nothing to put in them. Unfortunately, today’s economy has many schools struggling to keep their doors open, amid challenges that go beyond desk supplies. Further, the students that most need a quality education are typically those least able to financially help the school.

Principal Keiran Roche knew that his school served the state’s poorest children and that he needed to find a new source of funding to enable his school not only to survive, but to thrive.

“Our students come from some of the most under-resourced families in the community, with 80 percent of our school’s students qualifying for the National Free and Reduced Lunch Program,” Roche said. “These families want the opportunity to choose the best education for their children, but they do not have the ability to self-pay. AAA Scholarships provide St. John the Evangelist with the chance to expand our student enrollment to students we otherwise wouldn’t be able to serve.”

One hundred percent of the students attending St. John receive some form of financial aid in order to attend the school.

Students from the same community that would send them to failing schools are showing documented achievement. From August 2013 to February 2014, St. John saw cumulative student growth of 68 months across 1st through 8th grades – 170 percent more learning than the expected 40 months of growth! Making “Academic Achievement Accessible” is not only AAA Scholarship Foundation’s name – it is our passion and goal and we are pleased that we are able to help St. John in closing the education achievement gap.

St. John has partnered with the Notre Dame ACE Academies (NDAA) to incorporate an innovative program that utilizes resources from the University, corporations, and the local community. The NDAA program encourages schools to increase the number of students enrolled through parental school choice scholarship programs, which has been a key to success for the Tucson area it serves – an area recently ranked the sixth poorest metropolitan area by the US Census Bureau. St. John embraced this program and has increased their enrollment by more than 100 percent in five years, growing from 133 students in 2010 to 314 students today.

“We address the needs of the whole child in providing diverse approaches to learning,” Roche said. “Our AAA Scholarship students provide not only diversity, but also a stability of income through multi-year scholarships that we would not have otherwise. AAA Scholarships enables us to compete for students that otherwise would not have a choice in where to go to school. We appreciate everything the AAA Scholarship Foundation and the generous donors have done for the many students they serve.”

About St. John the Evangelist Catholic School
Established in 1950, St. John the Evangelist Catholic School serves Pima County students in grades preschool through 8th grade. Maximizing the benefit of their partnership with Notre Dame ACE Academies, children experience the effects of a program focused on comprehensive school excellence and implementing a unique model of urban schooling. St. John students prepare for college by closing the education achievement gap, as shown by testing twice a year with the Iowa Test of Basic Skills. During the 2014-15 school year, St. John served 316 students, 116 of which were AAA scholarship recipients. The annual cost of tuition and fees at St. John for the 2014-15 school year is $5,800 for grades Kindergarten through 8th, plus the cost of books and fees.

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 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 and Georgia 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.

To view PDF Version, click here: AAA Spotlight March 2015 StJohn School.

Quinton Johnson

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Many of our donors and families remember Quinton Johnson. He was a spotlight student in April 2013. Quinton is a preeminent example of what can happen in a child’s life if they are given the opportunity to choose the school that best meets their unique learning needs. As a child, he experienced the “harshest of circumstances.” Then it was determined that he should be in the care of his grandmother, Verdelle Johnson, who saw such potential in Quinton that she searched out help to get him into a school that would share her vision for his future.

At just 14 years old, he said “My grandma showed me that I could do better things with my life, she taught me to try my best in everything I do.” The theme that comes to mind for those that know him is “character.” Quinton strives to show through his actions how you can influence your future with a little help from others.
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Patrick Vega

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vega-tallAfter losing his father when he was only 12 years old, Patrick Vega vowed to help his mom in any way that he could. He realized that succeeding in school and being a productive member of his family and the community were the best things he could offer. Thanks to a scholarship from the AAA Scholarship Foundation, Patrick has been able to fulfill that promise and has risen as a star at his school – excelling in academics, sports and other extracurricular activities.

The untimely passing of Patrick’s father left an empty space in the Vega family and put a financial strain on Patrick’s mother, Gracie. She was determined to keep Patrick on track with his academics during this tough time, but worried that she would not be able to afford the tuition for him to attend Bourgade Catholic High School, where his older brother attended and where the members of the church and school had served as a close-knit community for the Vega family after the loss of her husband. However, after consulting with the financial aid department at Bourgade, she learned about the AAA Scholarship Foundation and applied. Receiving the news that Patrick was approved for a scholarship provided Gracie with a huge sense of relief and reassurance that her family was going to be okay.
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