Tag Archives: success stories

Children thrive when they attend a school that is a great fit for them

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Recently, we announced the “I Love My School!” essay contest, and we were so excited to see how many responded!

In celebration of National School Choice Week we will reveal one of the winners from the contest each day this week! Check back every day to see if your “I Love My School!” essay was chosen as one of our winners!

Today’s winner is Abby Awad who attends Seton High School in Cincinnati and thinks it is a great fit for her. Read Abby’s essay below!

When it comes to education, one size does not fit all. Children thrive when they attend a school that is a great for them academically, socially, and in some cases, spiritually. I am blessed to attend Seton High School, an all-girls Catholic school in Cincinnati, Ohio, and I can wholeheartedly say that a day does not go by at this school where I am not presented with the opportunities, the resources, and the support I need to succeed.

From a young age, the vision of me as a Seton Saint never left my mind. My mother attended Seton, my older cousins attended Seton, and most people in my close knit community attended Seton. Though it may seem as if I had few options of where to attend high school, it was always my decision. When I was in grade school, Seton’s constant presence was never suffocating or overwhelming; instead, it felt like I had something waiting for me, something that I wouldn’t grasp the importance of until I was enrolled.

I love Seton High School and I cannot picture myself anywhere else. I am constantly surrounded by people who love me – friends, teachers, and counselors – and who are willing to help me become the best person I can be. The classes offered are interesting and challenging. The classes I have taken over the course of my high school career have prepared me academically for what lies ahead. I am pushed to succeed in all areas of my life, and I am encouraged to reach out to others. This school is a great fit for my family and me because it provides me with a caring and supportive community in which I can thrive. I have a very close family, several of which are Seton alumni, who along with the rest of the community have helped me grow into a determined, hardworking, and successful student with balanced personal interests and priceless life experiences.

Just as a plant must have the proper conditions to grow, a child must have a proper learning environment in order to prosper and succeed. Every child is unique and has unique learning, social, and emotional needs. These needs are most often met by a combination of influences from the child’s home, friends, and school. Children must be placed in a school that can meet their needs and shape them into strong, intelligent, hardworking people that can face any challenge in the future. Schools such as Seton are a perfect fit for many girls because they meet the needs of each individual student and provide many opportunities for them to succeed, just like the right school should.

When it comes to education, each child is unique and requires individual conditions in order to grow and succeed. My school, Seton High School, is the perfect fit for me because it meets and exceeds my academics, social, and spiritual needs on a daily basis. Each and every child deserves to attend a school that is a great fit for him or her because proper education is vital to success, and a proper education cannot be obtained without the proper learning environment.

Tell us why you’re thankful

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We hope you all had a happy Thanksgiving! We also hope you enjoyed our blog series this week that featured stories from students located all across the state who are thankful to attend the school of their choice.

We love hearing from parents every day who tell us their children are now thriving because they are in a great school that is a great fit. At School Choice Ohio, we know that when it comes to education, one size does not fit all.

Now is your chance to give your awesome school a shout-out and share your story! We are happy to invite parents and students from all over Ohio to participate in the I Love My School Essay Contest.

Do you love your school? What makes your school a great fit for you or your family? Why is it important that every child be in a quality school or homeschool that is a great fit for their learning needs?

Essay contest winners will be announced during National School Choice Week in January and will feature students from all different types of schools – public, private, homeschool, online, arts, STEM, etc. – anything and everything! Your essay can be as long or as short as you want.

Click here for more details and for the contest entry form. Any questions? Comment below, and we would be happy to answer.

Parents, students thankful for opportunities presented by scholarship programs

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Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Today, we will be gathering with friends and family to celebrate and be thankful. So, it only seems fitting that we feature stories from students located all across the state who are thankful to receive a scholarship to attend the school of their choice.

This video highlights parents and students from all over the state who are thankful for Ohio’s four scholarship programs. Take a look at how the programs are changing lives.

 

Moms thankful for special needs scholarship

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Thanksgiving is right around the corner, which means we will soon be gathering with friends and family to celebrate and be thankful. So, it only seems fitting that we feature stories this week from students located all across the state who are thankful to receive a scholarship to attend the school of their choice.

In this video, we feature several moms who are grateful that the Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarship Program is now available to Ohio students with special needs…

Grateful for EdChoice

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Thanksgiving is right around the corner, which means we will soon be gathering with friends and family to celebrate and be thankful. So, it only seems fitting that we feature stories this week from students located all across the state who are thankful to receive a scholarship to attend the school of their choice.

Ajee’s Story 

The EdChoice Scholarship means so much to me. This scholarship has given me the chance to attend a great private school that challenges me to do better. Without this scholarship, I would not be where I am now and doing the amazing things that I am doing. Basically, this scholarship has changed my life.

Receiving this scholarship gave me the opportunity to do great things. I was never really excited to come to a private school because I didn’t think I would like the environment. As I look back, I am so glad that I came to my school. The learning environment is great! The spirit of the school is also amazing! Without my EdChoice Scholarship, I would not be here right now and the thought of that breaks my heart. Being here at my school has given me the courage to do things that I never thought I could do. I love how all the teachers push you to do better even when you think you are already doing great. I was always the type of person that thought when I did good I was fine with that, but being here at my school taught me to try to do even better!

I love how the EdChoice Scholarship gives students like me the chance to attend a good private school and strive to do their best. I am so grateful for my EdChoice Scholarship. I do my best all the time in school to show them that they made the right choice by giving me the scholarship. I refuse to let this scholarship go to waste. This scholarship has changed my life in amazing ways, and I would like to thank the EdChoice people for that. I would not be here right now if it wasn’t for them. They gave me the chance to do better and to be a better person. I will get far in life, and I can thank EdChoice for that.

Making mom proud

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Thanksgiving is right around the corner, which means we will soon be gathering with friends and family to celebrate and be thankful. So, it only seems fitting that we feature stories this week from students located all across the state who are thankful to receive a scholarship to attend the school of their choice.

Abryanna’s Story

The Cleveland Scholarship means a lot to me because without it I wouldn’t be able to attend my school. Having this scholarship gives me a chance to be someone in life by getting a good education. Without having a good education, I would not be able to do what I plan to do in life.

The Cleveland Scholarship is helping me by urging me to keep my grades up and to be accountable for my responsibilities. My dreams mean a lot to me, and with this scholarship, I’ll reach them. My dream is to be in sports medicine or to be a psychologist. I want to help people. My dreams are to make my grandmother happy and for her to see me graduate high school and college.

I think the promise of my scholarship is to give me a chance to be able to have an education at a good school. My mother always wanted my older brother, sister, and myself to be successful in life. Our education means a lot to her, and with this scholarship I’ll be able to make my mother proud. 

Won’t Back Down Free Movie Screenings

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We are getting very excited for the premier of Won’t Back Down, a blockbuster movie that tells the story of two determined mothers who look to transform their children’s failing school. Facing a powerful and entrenched bureaucracy, they risk everything to make a difference in the education and future of their children.

Starring Oscar-nominated actresses Viola Davis, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Holly Hunter, this film highlights the “parent trigger,” a new way for parents to have more of a say in the structure and leadership of their children’s school. Columbus, Ohio is one of the first cities in the country to have a parent trigger in place.

Several organizations are hosting free screenings of the movie! Check out the list of free screenings below. We will keep this post updated as we learn of more screenings.

Thursday, September 20
6 – 8:30 p.m.
Presented by Ohio Council of Community Schools (OCCS)
Rave Lewis Commons 12
2005 Hollenbeck Drive
Perrysburg, Ohio 43551
Click here to RSVP. OCCS asks that you RSVP by Tuesday, Sept. 18 at 5 p.m. to reserve your seat. You can reserve one ticket or two. Seats are limited, and tickets are going fast.

Monday, October 1
6:30 p.m.
Presented by Parent Revolution and BAEO
Tower City Cinemas
230 West Huron Road
Cleveland, OH
Click here to RSVP 

Tuesday, October 2
5 p.m.
Presented by Parent Revolution and BAEO
AMC Theatre Newport on the Levee 20
One Levy Way, Suite 4100
Newport, KY
Click here to RSVP

Be sure to check back for new info as we update the list of free move screenings. In addition, we will be doing free ticket giveaways on our Facebook and Twitter pages the last week in September. So, make sure you follow/like us now if you want an opportunity to win free movie tickets!

 

Students grateful for scholarships

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The state’s scholarship programs are changing the lives of thousands of students across the state. They have given many children and their parents the chance to choose the best education environment for their learning needs. It is powerful to hear these students talk about their scholarships and the opportunities that are available to them now. Today, we would like to share with you just a small sampling of the many wonderful things we have heard from scholarship students this year.

“I think of one word: opportunity.” – Jazmine

“Because of the education that I am receiving, I don’t really need to go out and chase my opportunities; they are just coming right to me. As long as I continue to do what I need to do, they are just coming right to me.” – A’bria

 “…When I grow up I want to be a dancer, singer, a veterinarian, a baby doctor, a cheerleader, celebrity chef, a manager for my best friend Toni, (she’s going to be a star!) and anything else I want.” - Lillian

 “I am blessed with the ability to learn in a great school amongst great people.” - Luis

“It is my hope that the Cleveland Scholarship Program continues so that other students can benefit from the opportunity to attend a great school like I have.” -Cassandra

“[The EdChoice Scholarship Program] gives children and parents hope. It opens up many opportunities for kids to get a better education and eventually move on to a better life.” -Walter

With the help of the state’s scholarship programs, many students now have a say in their future.

SCO’s Sarah Pechan talks school choice with Arizona parents

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Our director of community programs, Sarah Pechan, was on vacation in Arizona this summer and found the whole state buzzing about the issue of school choice. She shares some of the perspective of parents she met while rafting through the Grand Canyon’s Colorado River.

As I was getting to know my fellow rafters on the Colorado River and fellow hikers in the Grand Canyon, I was surprised by the number of Arizona parents who shared their personal experiences when they heard that I work in the arena of school choice. It was pretty incredible and encouraging to hear so I wanted to share just a couple of their stories with you:

  • Heidi, a former park ranger, lit up when I mentioned school choice. Her daughter Megan is in 8th grade at a charter school. This is her first year at the school and the first year in her academic career that a school has both pushed Megan to achieve more and given her the support she needs for her dyslexia. Heidi said she has been amazed at how the higher expectations at the charter school have engaged her daughter, who was really starting to hate school. Now Megan is excited about school and pushing herself to rise to the higher standards.

But I couldn’t blame her when she said that she and her husband are pulling Megan out of this school next year because the hours and hours of nightly homework don’t leave time for Megan to pursue her interests in theater.

  • Jake, a river guide, said he saw a night and day difference in his son after he started attending a Montessori-style charter school this year. His 5th-grader went from having nothing to say about school for the first 5 years of his education to now being really excited to share what he has learned every day. Jake is thrilled and said the Montessori approach was just the right one for his son.

All of the work we do at a policy level is to simply make a way for these types of stories. To borrow a river analogy, advocates and legislators are working upstream to make sure the resources, laws, and flexibility are available to create better opportunities for students. The real magic is at the student level: education entrepreneurs working hard to grow quality, creative schools, parents taking the initiative to explore their options and find the best fit for their child, and students making the most of the privilege of an education.

These stories from across the country echo stories that we hear right here in Ohio all the time. They are such beautiful stories of all of us winning because of the options that are available to families.

Another education/school choice issue that came up a lot was skill-based, hands-on education. I’ll talk more about that later in the week. Stay tuned!

- Sarah