Tashya - 3rd Grade, All Saints Academy
Tashya,
a 3rd grader at All Saints Academy in Middletown, has a whole lot going for
her. She loves solving problems in math class at school, which is her favorite
subject. She also really likes to sing. Perhaps she gets that from her mom,
Paula, who has been singing All Saints Academy's praises ever since she was
able to enroll Tashya and her younger sister Jamarya, thanks in part to the
Corporate Scholarship Tax Credit Program. Paula wanted another option besides
the local school in the district where they were living. She went to visit
All Saints Academy and said that she just got a really good vibe from the
family atmosphere. With just 21 students in the 3rd grade, Paula feels Tashya
is getting the attention she needs, which makes her feel confident with her
choice. As a mom, she feels Tashya is in the right environment to help her
learn and grow.
"I like how the teachers at All Saints Academy really focus on the kids. They put a lot into each child, and I get the sense that they really know them. I feel so lucky to have the opportunity to send my kids here. It would not have been possible for us without the help of tuition assistance."
- Paula Arsenault / Tashya's Mother
Deja - 6th Grade, Sophia Academy
Sixth
Grader Deja Jones likes the all-girl environment of Sophia Academy. She says
her teachers expect a lot from her at Sophia but they also make learning fun.
Deja feels her change in schools has made her more focused on her schoolwork,
especially math. She didn't really like math before, but her teacher at Sophia
Academy “makes math interesting”, which encourages her to want to work harder
at it. Deja's dad recognizes that middle school is a time of ups and downs,
but feels there is no better environment than Sophia Academy for his daughter.
He has seen the positive change in his daughter's attitude towards learning.
“I can tell you that we would never have had the chance to match Deja to the right learning environment without the help of scholarship assistance and the Corporate Scholarship Tax Credit Program. I believe every parent should have the opportunity to feel this satisfied with their child's learning experience. I want to be able to continue to choose the best educational settings for my daughter until the day she graduates.”
Derick Jones / Deja's Dad.
Siblings Natasha and Tony transferred to Community Prep two years, and one year ago, respectively, with the help of tuition assistance. Their mom, Chithy, is a Community Prep alumnus who fondly remembers her time there as “her best school years.” She likes the diversity of cultures at Community Prep and the opportunity for her children to participate in a wide range of activities that aren’t available to every inner-city student. Natasha’s favorite class is Algebra, and she thinks she wants to be a lawyer when she grows up. For high school, she applied to Moses Brown, Wheeler, Miss Porter’s, Westminster, and Classical – and recently made the decision to attend the last. Tony’s not sure what he wants to be when he grows up, but he says his school is fun and he likes computer class and playing soccer.
“Attending Community Prep has opened so many doors for Natasha and Tony. Parents need to know that these educational opportunities are out there and that, with tuition assistance, affordable school choice options do exist.”
Chithy Saing / Natasha & Tony’s Mother
Kayla’s parents didn’t need to be sold on the value of a Blessed Sacrament education, her dad attended the school as a child and wanted his daughter to experience the same safe, caring, and respectful learning environment. Kayla has attended the school since Kindergarten and her family really appreciates the devotion of the teachers and the close-knit families—many of whom have made similar sacrifices to send their children to the school. Kayla’s favorite classes are computers and art but she also likes learning about fractions (she thinks they’re “cool”). She wants to be a CSI investigator when she grows up.
“Without tuition assistance, it would be really tough for us to send Kayla to school here. It really helps a lot. This new tuition tax credit program is a great idea. It will give more families like ours the option to choose where to send their children.”
Elaine Folk / Kayla’s Mom
Samantha has been a student at Bishop McVinney since Pre-Kindergarten. As a 5th grader, Samantha’s favorite class at school is math, and she thinks she’d like to be a “kids’ doctor” when she grows up. Samantha’s mom attests that strong academics were a main reason the family decided to send Samantha to Bishop McVinney – and that it wouldn’t be possible for Samantha to go without a scholarship. She’s glad that the family was able to make the choice to send Samantha there. Looking ahead to potential options for high school, Mrs. Pierre said she realizes that a few of the parochial schools they are looking at might not be financially feasible. All she wants is to have the choice for what’s best for Samantha.
“There really aren’t many affordable school choice options in Rhode Island, especially in Providence. I would like to be able consider a number of schools for my daughter. An increase in scholarship funds available would really help a lot of families here in the state”.
Jolene Pierre / Samantha’s Mother
Barrington Christian Academy student Jeremiah (pictured with classmate Joshua, at right) loves so many things about his school, it’s hard for him to choose just one. He says he especially likes getting to know the new kids. He has a younger sister, LaTanya, who’s a first grader at BCA, and she loves the library. After a BCA alum convinced mom Caroline to look at the school, a visit and talk with the admissions coordinator convinced her it was the right choice for Jeremiah and LaTanya. As a parent, Caroline says her children’s love of math and reading is more than she could ask for, and BCA has provided a remarkable foundation for their educational future.
“There are absolutely not enough affordable school options in the state. I would not have been able to afford Barrington Christian Academy on my own. The new tuition tax credit can help families like ours consider schools that they might not have thought about until now. We couldn’t be happier with our BCA experience.”
Caroline
Hutchinson / Jeremiah’s Mom