Sophia and Isabella Linde
The King’s Academy
Reno, NV
Kristin Linde never wanted her own personal obstacles to affect her two daughters, Sophia and Isabella. Although she did not know at the time, when her ex-husband left her and their family behind – with no money and no idea of where to go next – it was a defining moment in all of their lives.
Instead of allowing this change to dictate their future, Kristin vowed that she would do whatever it took to give her children the best – starting with education. While it was traumatic for her family to leave everything behind in Mexico and move to Nevada, she was determined to find a school tailored to her children’s specific learning needs. Her eldest daughter, Sophia, was in second grade at the time of the move. Kristin had enrolled her into a public school because although she worked multiple jobs while attending college part-time, she was still struggling to make ends meet. Kristin, however, was optimistic that this would be an easy transition for Sophia since she had done so well the year prior; but to her dismay, it was the opposite.
Kristin immediately started to notice the decline in Sophia’s grades. Sophia hadn’t struggled in school before, so she was surprised to see how drastic of a change it had become, especially in math. The issue wasn’t that there was a language barrier or that she didn’t understand the schoolwork; it was that the teaching styles were polar opposite in Mexico and Nevada. Sophia learned best when she was in a smaller class setting and had the option of receiving one-on-one attention from her teacher or a tutor, which she was not receiving at her current school.
If Sophia was already falling behind in the 2nd grade, who knew what third, fourth, or even middle school would hold for her. As desperate as Kristin was to find a better-suited school for Sophia, it seemed nearly impossible given the fact that she was her family’s main source of income and they were in no place financially to make a change.
Kristin began exploring different schools to get an idea of what each offered and, most importantly, would any of them be the right fit for Sophia. To her surprise, she found a school that surpassed any expectations she had –The King’s Academy. Kristin had this overwhelming feeling of contentment when she walked around The King’s Academy. As she observed the interactions between teachers and students, she couldn’t help but smile at the genuine appreciation they had for each other. Kristin also had the chance to walk around with the principal of the school and ask her questions and was blown away when she would greet every student by their first and last name. Seeing first-hand the principal take the time to know every one of her students, Kristin did not doubt that the faculty would be just as loving and devoted. However, The King’s Academy is a private school, and with her income, there was no way she would be able to afford the tuition.
Kristin opened up to her mother hoping she’d have some ideas on what to do. Her mother graciously offered to help her with tuition as much as she could for the first few years. Kristin took advantage of this offer as well as requesting more hours at work. Even with the extra help, it still wasn’t enough. She wanted to keep Sophia enrolled in The King’s Academy and was desperate to find a way. Thankfully she learned about the AAA Scholarship Foundation (AAA) and quickly applied. Kristin anxiously waited to hear if their family had qualified for a scholarship, and the joy that she felt when they did was indescribable.
Today, Kristin can confidently say that The King’s Academy is the school that her daughter was meant to attend. Kristin’s other daughter, Isabella, is also enrolled at the school with her big sister. Sophia, who is now in the sixth grade, truly loves waking up every morning and going to school. The education level at The King’s Academy is a full school year ahead of other schools in their district. Kristin is amazed to see how quickly the students are advancing and how well they’re doing in terms of their grades. The school is big on extracurriculars and encourages students to step out of their comfort zones by trying a class in language, arts, choir or athletics.
The two siblings are doing incredible academically. Sophia loves spelling and learning about penmanship and calligraphy. She is extremely creative and looks forward to attending her art classes where she can bring her creativity to life. As for Isabella, she may only be in the second grade, but she truly loves every subject and is eager to learn and succeed in the classroom. Kristin never has to think twice about asking Isabella if she’s finished her homework because 9 out of 10 times it’s either already completed or being double-checked.
Being an AAA scholarship recipient has taken a huge weight off of Kristin’s shoulders. “I used to have to pick up extra shifts to afford the tuition, and it was just too much,” says Kristin. “With the scholarships from AAA, I can balance work, school, and still have the ability to spend quality time with my family.”
With heartfelt emotion, she reiterates how impactful this program has been to her family. “There are no words for how grateful I am,” says Kristin Linde. “I feel so safe and happy sending my children to The King’s Academy, and that’s all thanks to the AAA Scholarship Foundation.”
About AAA Scholarship Foundation
The AAA Scholarship Foundation awards scholarships solely to qualifying low-income, disabled and displaced students. The typical AAA Scholarship student is an ethnic minority living with a struggling single parent/caregiver in a high crime community. More than 90.6 percent of AAA scholarships are distributed to children at or below 200 percent of poverty. 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 are concerned about their future, look for viable options. They seek an atmosphere that challenges their child and will reverse inadequate learning, 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 Arizona, Florida, Georgia and Nevada by corporations that redirect a portion of their state tax liability to the AAA Scholarship Foundation in exchange for a dollar-for-dollar tax credit. The AAA Scholarship Foundation is one of the only approved 501(c)(3) nonprofit scholarship organizations exclusively serving qualifying low-income, disabled and displaced students through these tax credit scholarship programs in multiple states. 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.
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