Warren Brinson, Taylor Kennedy & Caroline Kennedy
Savannah, GA
The right academic environment can make all the difference in the world when it comes to helping children build successful futures. Take Warren Brinson, for example. Some of our readers may remember Warren from a previous spotlight story from December 2018. Gifted in both academics and sports from a young age, Warren had the potential to rise as a star in the classroom and on the football field. And once he was given a chance to attend a school that met his needs, he excelled, completing high school early and receiving numerous college football offers. However, had it not been for the AAA Scholarship Foundation and its generous donors, Warren’s story could have been much different.
A few years ago, when Warren was preparing to enter middle school, his mother, Monik Brinson, feared that the school he was zoned to attend would not be a good fit. She worried that he would get wrapped up in a negative environment and a crowd that would hinder instead of help grow his budding potential. As a single parent raising three children on a limited income, Monik could not afford many other options for her children’s education, but she was determined to find a solution. Her answer came in the form of an AAA Scholarship, which would help her afford tuition at a school that could cultivate her son’s talents.
After researching schools in their area, Monik found the one that she knew would be the perfect fit – Savannah Christian Preparatory School. Aside from its excellent academic and athletic programs, Monik was drawn towards the structured and caring environment at the school. For one, students were required to wear uniforms, helping to eliminate the idea that students would treat one another differently based on clothing.
The school was also diverse in terms of race, ethnicity and backgrounds among students, and there seemed to be a solid sense of respect for one another throughout the school. And shortly after Warren started to attend Savannah Christian, when he encountered some trouble with some other students, the administrators were quick to resolve the issue, making both Monik and Warren feel at ease with the school they chose.
After a period of adjusting, Warren acclimated to his new school environment and excelled in his classes and sports. Over the years, his hard work paid off. He was chosen to attend the prestigious IMG Academy for football – and his success only continued from there. During 2019, he was a top recruit for college football and received many offers, including Auburn University, University of Florida and University of Georgia. He ultimately opted to stay in his home state and chose the University of Georgia (UGA).
In December 2019, Warren was able to finish high school early and enrolled at UGA in January 2020 on a full football scholarship and will be playing defensive tackle on the UGA football team. As he begins his first year of college, he is focusing his studies on areas that will lead him to either be a sports broadcaster or land him a job in the pharmaceutical industry.
When asked about his experience in the scholarship program, Warren is thankful for the opportunities it has given him and his family and wants to use his experience to impact other children. “Maybe one day, if I make it to the NFL, I’ll be able to contribute to the AAA Scholarship Foundation so that I can help others walk the same grounds I have walked,” says Warren.
If his past success is any indication, there is no doubt that Warren can achieve anything he sets his mind to accomplish. And Warren is not the only one in his family that has experienced great success in the scholarship program. Seeing the incredible impact Savannah Christian Prep had on Warren, Monik chose to enroll her two daughters, Taylor and Caroline, at the school, also on AAA Scholarships.
Taylor, who initially struggled in the classroom, was able to bring her grades up to honor roll status thanks to the extra help and tutoring programs offered. Taylor is now in the 8th grade and loves science and art and plays on the school’s basketball team. She has become quite the budding artist, placing in several art contests, including being chosen as one of only 10 middle school students to receive an offer to attend Savannah College of Art & Design when she finishes high school. Aside from a love of art, she also has great admiration for animals and is interested in studying zoology.
Caroline, Monik’s youngest child, is also thriving at Savannah Christian. Currently, in the third grade, Caroline has made it on the school’s high honor roll and loves playing in sports like her older siblings, including basketball, soccer, track and gymnastics.
When asked her thoughts on her family’s experience over the past few years, Monik says, “In one word, grateful. I made a lot of sacrifices to get my children to this point – to make sure that they had a good education and everything they needed to succeed – and I could not have done it alone. AAA Scholarship Foundation and its supporters gave us a helping hand, ensuring that my kids’ dreams could become a reality.”
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 80 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.