The opportunity to have school choice in my education was not just essential, but it also significantly enhanced my learning experience. Being premature, born at 1 pound, 8 ounces, I was always smaller than the rest of my classmates. Many of my classmates saw my size as something negative, something they would bully me for. In public school, when I was in the 5th grade and 7th grade, I experienced bullying and wasn’t doing very well in school because of it.
Because of the bullying, I had to switch from public school to private school. I actually started in private school, and I realized that it would’ve been better for me to stay at that private school. Suddenly, my grades started increasing. That’s when I figured out that private school was for me. In private school, I used the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship through Step Up For Students, and without that, I wouldn’t have been able to attend.
School choice gave me greater opportunities to succeed and has shaped who I am today. Out of my 12 years of school, 9 of those years were spent in school choice schools. In my high school years, 10th and 12th grade, I attended homeschool through Florida’s Personalized Education Program, also administered by Step Up For Students. School choice allowed me to get a Christian education. Homeschool is the most significant school experience I have had. While homeschooled, I started a social media account on TikTok to spread God’s word and inspire others.
My social media platform grew to 17k followers, and it would have never grown if it wasn’t for school choice. School choice has allowed me to do vocal and piano lessons and attend dual enrollment college classes. I also was awarded the “Super Senior Award” from Step Up For Students. Around the time of my high school graduation, I received a music award from the Sacred Music Competition and won first place in my category. During private school and homeschooling, being in a smaller class setting allowed me to focus and tune out all distractions, making my learning more effective.
I used the PEP scholarship as well a new form of school choice that could expand my freedom to choose homeschool. The freedom to express my creativity without limitations was amazing. The friendships I formed were more profound and more meaningful. I was also in an environment where I wasn’t bullied and felt safe knowing I belonged. Since I am a creative person, I have always wanted to be in a place where I could think outside the box.
This independence and creativity were fostered by my educational choices, and I credit them for where I am today. I am so glad that I had the chance to thrive and succeed, regardless of my circumstances.
