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Parents
Want School Choices - Success Stories
Kami
Davis
Kami
Davis wanted the best education possible for her ten year-old son Isaiah.
He was struggling in his previous school with poor grades, low
self-esteem, and being bullied.
Isaiah (now age 10) was attending School 57 in IPS and was not doing very
well. “His grades were C’s, D’s and F’s. His behavior needed
improvement and his self esteem was low. Students picked on him. No
positive involvement, no motivation,” Kami recalls.
She found Jewel Christian Academy, an
elementary school located down the street. Now Isiah is excelling in the
new school, getting A’s and B’s and is really interested in learning.
Kami is able to send Isaiah to the Academy
with scholarship help from the Educational CHOICE Charitable Trust, a
privately-funded program for Indianapolis families.
"Parents
have to participate in the education of their kids. It makes a big
difference when a parent can choose the school their children attend. It
changed Isaiah’s life."
Jesus
and Yadira Gonzales
Jesus
and Yadira have been married for 15 years, and immigrated to the United
States from Mexico. Their four daughters were all born in America.
The Gonzalez children, Melvin, 13; Ashlee 12 and Sirlene, 7 all attended
IPS schools before receiving the scholarship assistance from the CHOICE
Charitable Trust. The family is firm in their beliefs that their children
are receiving a better education, but also strongly value the environment
and opportunity at the Oaks Academy.
Jesus likes the personalized atmosphere that Oaks offers.
“Teachers in public schools don’t have the time to spend
[individually] with each student, or to be with one child at a time. They
don’t have time to do that in public schools, to provide more
personalized attention,” he says.
The tuition charges would have made attendance at the school unaffordable
had the children not been eligible for the Choice scholarships. “Without
it, we would not be going to the Oaks Academy,” says Yadira.
Monica
Poindexter
Monica
Poindexter cares about her kids. That’s why choosing a great school for
her nine year-old daughter Mia was so important. “Without it
(scholarship), there is no way I could afford it (Holy Angels) with the
type of income I have.“
“The class size allows the teacher to individually work with the
children and not necessarily small clusters of groups. Last year, Mia was
having trouble with some new math concepts they were rolling out. I was
able to call and email her teacher. He was absolutely wonderful about
coming in early or taking some time during lunch,” Monica continues.
Last year was Mia’s first year taking the ISTEP exams, which are first
given to students in the third grade. “Her scores were wonderful,”
explains Monica. “She is now reading at the 6th grade level and her math
skills are in the 5th grade range. Her scores were off the chart.”
“Being
able to choose where my daughter is able to attend school has been one of
the best choices and decisions I have ever been able to make for her,”
said Monica.
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