Crystal H.
Waukegan
I鈥檓 a single parent with one daughter. 厂丑别听attended public school听for elementary and middle school, and we felt her academic needs weren鈥檛 being met. She was acing all her classes, participating in extracurriculars, and still found that she wasn鈥檛 being challenged.
That鈥檚 why I began to look into private school options听as she got ready to go to high school. But I knew I couldn鈥檛 financially support that.听It was a struggle for the school to provide for my daughter and meet her where she was at.听But as听a single parent, I听wasn鈥檛 able to support the rest of her needs either.
I found out about听迟丑别 tax credit scholarships through the school and applied. It was a little overwhelming, to be honest, to know that her future really relied on the chance of her getting these scholarships. These scholarships are extremely limited. I鈥檓 really her only support, and I wanted to support her, but private school is so expensive that it was hard for me to even think about sending her there without a scholarship.
She received the scholarship for her freshman year,听starting last fall. I听谤别尘别尘产别谤,听honestly,听just crying听out of happiness. I knew that this is the right path for her. She was overwhelmed with joy, too 鈥撯�痥nowing that she鈥檇 be going somewhere that would support her and challenge her.
I heard from her all the time that she was bored at her old school. At Cristo Rey St. Martin College Prep,听we knew she鈥檇 get to be听a part of a work-study program,听expanding her knowledge not just academically but in life skills 鈥撯�痶hat made both of us excited. Getting the news of our scholarship was such a happy moment, we were over the moon.
But when I heard of the possibility that these scholarships听尘颈驳丑迟听not be听supported [by lawmakers] this year,听it caused us both to become very anxious听鈥� during an already anxious time.
And it鈥檚 not even just my daughter that I鈥檓 concerned about. I know of other children in the community that need this support and can do听amazing things with their lives, but they need the听financial support to get them there.听I really hope everyone in an underserved community like ours听gets the support that they need to attend听迟丑别听schools that are going to foster their academic needs.
Since she鈥檚 started at Cristo Rey, I鈥檝e already seen her flourishing. She鈥檚 become more of a leader. She鈥檚 become more self-aware and braver 鈥撯�疘 feel like she鈥檚 more prepared for whatever is heading her way. This learning environment has helped her get there.
In public school, the teachers spent much of the time trying to manage the classroom. So even when my daughter had a question or comment, she often felt overlooked or not heard because something else was going on that needed the teacher鈥檚 attention more. I鈥檝e always seen the leader in her, but I feel like she has found the confidence to really go for it now.
At Cristo Rey, she feels like her voice is heard. They push her out of her comfort zone听and she understands the value and importance of that, and how the demands the school will help her grow听going into the future.