Stories

No One Could Teach Her Son to Read. So Leah Went Back to School and Learned How

Leah Feretti's son Thomas was struggling with severe dyslexia, and no one in their region could help. So she earned a master's degree to become the therapist he needed.

Nobody Needed a Book in the Fields. Saray Became the First in Her Family to Go to College

Saray's parents came to the United States with nothing but hope that their children's lives would look different from their own. A hands-on, trade-focused charter school helped her become the first in her family to attend college.

Domionique Almost Gave Up on School. A Trade-Focused Classroom Changed Her Mind

Domionique struggled in classrooms built for someone else's pace for most of her school years. A trade-focused school, and a teacher who refused to let her drop out, gave her the second chance she needed.

Ashley Didn’t Choose Where She Started. School Choice Let Her Choose Where She Ended Up

Ashley Elliott was a week old when a judge called her grandmother, not with good news, but to ask whether she would adopt a newborn who had been exposed to drugs in the womb. Ashley grew up on the wrong side of a school zoning line in Lakeland, Florida. A teacher named Mrs. Perez, and a scholarship that followed her to a new school, changed where Ashley ended up.

Their Parents Never Finished Sixth Grade. A Scholarship Helped Send Both Sons to College

Some parents want their kids to have an education. Antoine and Manny's parents needed an education but never got the chance to finish one. That didn’t stop them from building their whole lives around getting it for their sons.

Blind Since Five, Unstoppable Ever After: How School Choice Helped Adonis Outrun the Odds

Adonis went blind at five years old, the day before his first football practice. He never stopped playing anyway. Years later, a scholarship sent him from Arizona's public schools to one of the best college prep programs in the country, and now, into a master's program of his own.

School Choice Gave Allen Thompson a Second Chance. Now He’s Giving It to His Students

Allen Thompson waited four years for a magnet school seat while his mom sacrificed every morning to get him there. Today he's the teacher he once needed.

From Falling Behind to Team Captain: How School Choice Changed Clay’s Life

Clay’s public school told his mom his goals weren’t “appropriate for second grade.” As a teacher, she knew better. A scholarship gave her the chance to prove it, and today her son is thriving in a classroom built around how he learns.

Gold Star Family Finds Relief Through School Choice

When Jessica lost her husband in the line of duty, she became the sole decision-maker for her two daughters. She says the Opportunity Scholarship doesn’t just help with tuition — it gives her back something grief tried to take: the ability to choose.

A Veteran’s Fight for Her Daughter’s Future

Tonya Johnston served in the military to build a better future for her family. When her daughter Joy began struggling in public school, Tonya felt like she was out of options — until a conversation across the fence introduced her to a life-changing opportunity.

How School Choice Changed Sam Myers’ Life and Opened Doors for Thousands More

Samuel Myers works two jobs. He has a girlfriend. He started his own card-making business. He even met the President. But more than 30 years ago, none of this seemed possible.