Salgado Children – Nov 2015
Alexander and Sebastian Salgado
Brunswick Christian Academy
Brunswick, GA
Brothers Alexander and Sebastian Salgado are thriving at their parent-selected school, Brunswick Christian Academy (BCA) – a school that they are able to attend with a scholarship from the AAA Scholarship Foundation. Both boys have been able to overcome their own individual struggles at this school, and their parents are desperate to keep them on the path to success – a hope that can only be made possible through the corporate community’s support of this tax credit scholarship program.
Alexander, 11, is now in his second year on the scholarship program as a sixth-grader at BCA. Each day he is eager to go to school where he is welcomed with a community of support from teachers and fellow classmates. However, things were much different for Alexander just a few short years ago when he was attending his local public school. Although it was a good school, he faced bullying from other children on a daily basis. Worried for her son’s physical and mental wellbeing, Sheila Salgado attempted to get the problem resolved through the school staff, but the bullying continued and it impacted Alexander’s performance in school.
Sheila and her husband Fermin searched for alternative solutions for their son, and found their answer at Brunswick Christian Academy. Unable to afford the tuition on their own, the school staff informed them about the Georgia Qualified Education Expense Tax Credit Program available through the AAA Scholarship Foundation. They were overjoyed to learn that they met the income qualifications, and soon submitted an application. Due to the high demand for the scholarship, they were placed on a waitlist, but Alexander finally received a scholarship to attend BCA for his fifth grade year. Now in the sixth grade, Alexander is excelling with mainly all A’s in his classes and dreams of becoming a pastor one day. Each day, he is excited about school and is hopeful that he will be able to continue there in the years to come.
The school has also had a tremendous impact on Alexander’s younger brother Sebastian. Sebastian, 5, was born seven weeks premature and has faced many challenges in his young life. He suffers from a motor and sensory disorder, has multiple fears and anxieties, and there is even a possibility that he may be on the autism spectrum. Prior to receiving the AAA Scholarship to attend BCA, Sebastian attended Pre-K at the local public school. Unfortunately, it turned out to be a bad experience for him. His anxiety would cause him to get sick every day before going to his class and he missed a lot of school. He would throw major tantrums and did not communicate with other children. The simple task of leaving the house was a struggle for the family. As the problems escalated, Sheila and Fermin knew they would need to make a change to save their son from continuing this downward spiral. While they consulted doctors to address the issues he was facing, they also knew they needed to place him in an educational environment that could provide him with more individualized attention.
The answer came when Sheila was able to receive the AAA Scholarship for Sebastian to also attend BCA with his brother for Kindergarten for the 2015-16 school year. To say that Sebastian has made a vast improvement in a short amount of time would be an understatement. The one-on-one attention and support from his dedicated teacher and the staff at the school, combined with reinforcement at home, has made all the difference in the world. Academically, he is starting to catch up with his peers. He started school in August not even being able to recite the alphabet and can now write his name (and in cursive). He has also improved behaviorally and socially. He now plays with other children – and even has a best friend, a big step for a child that once struggled to communicate with his classmates. At home, his whole demeanor has changed as well. The tantrums have subsided and Sheila is able to enjoy even the simple things, like being able to take pictures of Sebastian – something he would absolutely not allow her to do before.
When asked what the scholarship means to her family, Sheila holds back tears of happiness and gratitude. “I cannot put into words what this opportunity has meant for our family,” Sheila says. “The AAA Scholarship Foundation and its donors have given my sons the ability to attend a school where their individual needs can be met and they can overcome so many struggles. This program has changed our lives for the better, and for that, we are truly grateful.”
About AAA Scholarship Foundation
The typical AAA Scholarship student is an ethnic minority living with a struggling single parent/caregiver in a high crime community. The average household income of families accepted to receive scholarships is $23,559 for a family of four. Many children are either below grade level, failing at their previous school or both when they receive a scholarship.
Parents, who find their children in these circumstances and care about their future, look for viable options. They seek an atmosphere that challenges their child to reverse inadequate learning and/or social patterns and the potential lifelong negative impact. They wish to change their child’s learning environment, acquaintances, and the unfortunate predictable outcomes associated with school failure.
AAA Scholarships are funded in Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Nevada and Pennsylvania by corporations that redirect a portion of their state tax liability to the AAA Scholarship Foundation in exchange for a tax credit (dollar for dollar in Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Georgia and Nevada, and up to 90 percent in Pennsylvania). The AAA Scholarship Foundation is one of the only approved Scholarship 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Organizations exclusively serving qualifying low-income, disabled and/or displaced students through these Scholarship Tax Credit programs. AAA Scholarship Foundation provides your company with the convenience and efficiency of a single-solution for participating in multiple state tax credit scholarship programs. For more information or to learn how your corporation can participate in the program, visit www.AAAScholarships.org, or contact Kerri Vaughan at kerri@aaascholarships.org or 888 707-2465 ext. 730.
Click for a pdf of this student spotlight: Salgado Children
Many of our donors and families remember Quinton Johnson. He was a spotlight student in April 2013. Quinton is a preeminent example of what can happen in a child’s life if they are given the opportunity to choose the school that best meets their unique learning needs. As a child, he experienced the “harshest of circumstances.” Then it was determined that he should be in the care of his grandmother, Verdelle Johnson, who saw such potential in Quinton that she searched out help to get him into a school that would share her vision for his future.
After losing his father when he was only 12 years old, Patrick Vega vowed to help his mom in any way that he could. He realized that succeeding in school and being a productive member of his family and the community were the best things he could offer. Thanks to a scholarship from the AAA Scholarship Foundation, Patrick has been able to fulfill that promise and has risen as a star at his school – excelling in academics, sports and other extracurricular activities.
As he wraps up his junior year, 17-year-old McKinley Habersham is thriving in his first year at Memorial Day School in Savannah, Ga., a school he is able to attend through a scholarship from the AAA Scholarship Foundation. It’s hard to imagine that only a year ago, while still coping with the tragic loss of his father, McKinley was struggling academically and had lost all interest in any future ambitions.
Lauren Moreno is a first year recipient of an Arizona Tuition Tax Credit Scholarship from the AAA Scholarship Foundation, attending Bourgade Catholic High School in Phoenix, Arizona. The scholarship and her parents selected school have provided her with endless opportunities to achieve and build upon her dreams and hopes for the future.
Like most parents, Sabrina Levi has an unwavering dedication to her children. However, Sabrina’s own struggles have only intensified her commitment to paving a better path for her family and ensuring her children succeed – both in school and in life.
Robert Townsend knows from personal experience the hardships of life, and because of that, he wants to make sure his children are equipped with a strong educational foundation to prepare them to be successful and hardworking adults. However, as Robert and his wife Tammy learned, finding an educational environment to meet the unique needs of each child be challenging. Scholarships from the AAA Scholarship Foundation have given the Townsend family expanded opportunities for their children, enabling them to break economic barriers and thrive in school and life.
At only 14 years old, Quinton Johnson is on the fast track to success. A recipient of a scholarship from the AAA Scholarship Foundation, Quinton attends The Dinoff School for the Gifted in Griffin, Ga., where he is challenging his academic abilities by taking college-level classes and scoring in the 99th percentile on standardized tests. However, just three years ago, Quinton’s academic future was in limbo.