(HARRISBURG, PA – June 21, 2010) Tom and Cheryl Geary believe that their children's education is only as good as the teachers leading them. Fortunately, they are able to send their children, Cara and Luke, to Champion Christian School – a pre-K through grade 12 Christian School in Donegal.
“Cara and Luke are thriving at their school,” says Cheryl Geary. “Along with the great academics, Cara has the opportunity to be involved in many sports and extra-curricular activities. Meanwhile, Luke is excelling in the preschool curriculum which is geared to facilitate children’s growth in all areas of development.”
The Geary family is one of five families from across Pennsylvania taking part in the REACH Foundation’s Visions of Choice campaign, sponsored by Sovereign Bank. The goal of the campaign is to show parents, legislators and the general public what exactly is meant by the term “school choice” in Pennsylvania. The campaign strives to put a face on the school choice movement by telling the success stories of several families who have chosen different school choice options.
Cara and Luke are able to attend the school of their parents’ choice because of the scholarship they receive from Champion Christian School. Through the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) Program, businesses can direct up to 90% of their tax dollars to state-approved organizations, like Champion Christian. Instead of sending their tax dollars to Harrisburg, the EITC allows businesses to invest in education and ensure the success of Pennsylvania’s future leaders.
Pennsylvania’s EITC Program is well-known throughout the country and is regarded as a national model. The bi-partisan program is continuously thought of as the most successful private-public partnership in the Commonwealth. Since 2001, over 4,000 businesses have qualified for the EITC, donating $460 million for scholarships to over 200,000 kids and funding thousands of public education initiatives. This year, REACH estimates that 40,000 kids, including Cara and Luke, will receive scholarships to attend the school that works for them. Because of budget cuts last year, an estimated 6,000 scholarships were lost. Additional budget cuts this year could further reduce the number of available scholarships.
By definition, school choice means allowing every parent to send their child to the school that best fits their child’s educational needs, regardless of income or zip code. In Pennsylvania, school choice options include charter schools, private schools, homeschooling, or other public schools as well as the Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program (EITC).
What is the REACH Foundation? Founded in 1991, REACH is the Pennsylvania’s grassroots coalition for school choice. For more information on the REACH Alliance & Foundation, visit www.paschoolchoice.org.
What is Champion Christian School? Champion Christian School, founded in 1981 provides quality Christian education to Fayette, Westmoreland, and Somerset Counties with academic excellence in the context of a nurturing and distinctly Christian atmosphere. You can find out more about Champion Christian School at www.champion.org/ccs .
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