PROGRAM — Tax Credit Scholarship

My name is Jocelyn Galdamez, and I was born in 2002 in Miami, FL. Both of my parents were born in Guatemala but came to the United States to provide a better life and education for my siblings and I. My parents struggled looking for a school that would provide the education we need in order to grow intellectually, especially in the neighborhood that we live.

I attended public school from kindergarten through 6th grade. I would not say it was a terrible experience, but it did have a few ups and downs. The elementary school I was attending was a great school, but unfortunately the teachers I had didn’t teach well. I was in the 4th grade and my parents realized I still had not learned how to solve multiplication nor division problems; this really concerned them. They sent me to tutoring, but I was too behind in my studies to catch up.  However, the greatest miracle of all time happened. My parents shared the exciting news of me being accepted to La Progresiva Presbyterian School, which is the school I now consider my second home. I was very nervous, but the amazing part of this journey is that I had my cousin with me the entire time.

“Due to this scholarship, I will be prepared for the next chapters in my life.”

Even though my parents struggled to find the perfect school for me, I was always thankful for the experience I had in public schools. They’ve made me realize I have to think outside the box, and I have the ability to grow so much more. However, experience in general is very important because it allows us to learn from our mistakes and to grow both spiritually and intellectually. Once you’ve experienced numerous different situations, you grow as a person, and we learn from our mistakes to better ourselves as we grow older and use those wise decisions to help us reach our goals.

In the future I hope to be a pediatrician or in the medical field. Luckily, I attend a school that helps me stay focused on education and always reminds me anything is possible through Jesus Christ. Believe it or not, this scholarship helped me achieve my goal by allowing me to be enrolled in a school that provides an amazing education. I have learned numerous things that students in public school have not even heard of at my age. Due to this scholarship, I will be prepared for the next chapters in my life.  It is a great blessing because it provides the best education for those who cannot afford to pay thousands of dollars for a private education that fits their needs.

“Those who live in poverty should be given the chance to have a better education.”

School choice definitely matters. Everyone deserves to be heard and should be allowed to have a choice in the school that fits their needs. I had the choice to either stay in public school and stay behind or start in a completely different school. Those who live in poverty should be given the chance to have a better education. Without the opportunity of this scholarship I wouldn’t have been able to grow into the person I am now.  We all deserve the opportunity to grow and to receive the education that is necessary for us to move forward in life.

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