School choice and education freedom have shaped my academic journey. The ability to decide what school I went to made a significant difference in my life. As a Black person, I was faced with an education system that works against people who look like me. But I had the ability to choose to be in an environment where I could discover my full potential instead. School choice is not just selecting a school but finding the right school that allows me to grow academically, socially, and personally.
My mom and I went to look at many schools and I got to choose the school I liked the most. Through the Cue’s Children Scholarship Fund, I attended Holy Name Catholic School. For high school, I took tours of many schools, but I felt Roncalli Catholic High School was a great fit for what I wanted to do. My parents worked hard but for me to attend, but I had to help. I did a work study program to help pay my tuition and was put on a payment plan to attend.
Throughout high school, I was given private donor scholarships that also helped pay my tuition. Attending Roncalli Catholic High School would not have been possible if it were not for my scholarships, which some people do not have knowledge of or access to.
As the eldest sister, I paved the way for my siblings and their journey into private school. I had to learn how to navigate school finances; having to do this is often not the case in other states. But in Nebraska, no state-funded scholarship program existed for me to use. This meant that my ability to attend a school of my choice was decided by how hard I was determined to work for it.
To receive aid, I had to maintain a high GPA and go above and beyond in service hours. While other students could participate in more extracurriculars and have free time, I chose to devote some of my free time to work study. Students who contributed certain hours of their time to work study could receive discounts on tuition. Often, I would be late to my musical rehearsal practice because I was taking out the trash at school. I thought that this was normal, that every child from my background would have to do the same thing, but in other states they don’t. In other states they have huge programs to ensure that kids going to a school of their choice does not depend on how well they do or how well they take out the trash.
My experience helped my parents understand the process better. Because of this, my younger siblings could go to the schools they wanted. My parents were more prepared and confident in managing financials. This is why there needs to be a process that provides the needed tools to be able to get funding and find the school that best fits their needs, ultimately providing options outside of “their home base area” school.
When I was in middle school, I got to attend a school choice rally. This rally was when I realized I had a choice in what school I went to. There I was, advocating and protesting for school choice as a 13-year-old at the state capital. There were students from all over who believed in the freedom of choosing what school to go to. It was amazing to see. I do not know where I would be if I did not have the choice.
Everyone should be given the option to pick where they go to school and to be seen as a person and not a ZIP code.
