FoF January 2022

“Fischer is the happiest, sweetest, most laid back child ever. We discovered at an early age, he was going to struggle to hit milestones. He was delayed but not severely. He had no diagnosis besides developmental delay. He attended a developmental preschool and received a ton of therapy. He has gained so much ground but is still not where his peers are. His pre-k teachers told me he was ready for mainstream kindergarten but would definitely benefit from a smaller class size. Unfortunately, that is not an option in our local public schools. The Succeed Scholarship was the answer to our prayers! He is now almost a semester into kindergarten at Christ the King. He is in a class of 14 children with a phenomenal teacher who has been able to work with him and his continued needs. He still has a long way to go, but I am confident he is in the right place to reach his full potential.”

– Susan, parent

In 2012 my daughter officially received her diagnosis of apraxia and an intellectual disability while attending a preschool for children with special needs. When it was time to transition from there to “regular” school, the anxiety was high for us all, but we were hopeful that she would thrive.

While we met a few teachers and staff that were helpful, it was evident that the school district was not equipped to educate my specific child and accommodate her needs to thrive. I watched her go from a vibrant little girl who loved school, to one who hated school and often expressed boredom. This was due to being in a classroom surrounded by children whose intellect was beneath hers even with her delays/disabilities. This was the last straw for us.

We were desperate to get her into a private school that we believed would benefit her and our family, but we also knew that we couldn’t afford the tuition on our own. Mid-school year I saw an advertisement for the Succeed Scholarship for Spring 2018 and knew we had to apply in order to get our daughter to a place where she would thrive as a student but — most of all — as a person. After we received the letter that we were approved for the scholarship, we were elated. Along with the scholarship and help from my local church, we were able to get my daughter to her new school.

Within two weeks of attending her new school, I began seeing a brand new little girl get into my car every afternoon. Her teachers and new friends saw something in her that others couldn’t, and they were equipped with the tools to help her to see her fullest potential and reach for it with all of her might. Her teacher’s words to me were this, “There’s way more in her than anyone has ever tried to pull out. But we will get it out of her.”

Here we are, a year and a half later, and not only is my daughter’s speech improved, but her confidence to learn and interact with others has improved tremendously. I attribute a large part of all of this to the Succeed Scholarship. Without it, none of this would have been attainable for my daughter or my family.

– Tiara, parent

In 2014 my son was diagnosed with high functioning autism. In 2017 my son attended kindergarten in Conway public schools. Before the school year I reached out to the principal to inform her that my child needed to be in resource classes that he was autistic and he needed to be in a smaller environment to learn.

When the school year started he was placed in a regular classroom with 25 or so other students. I would get phone calls about my son being disruptive and them not being able to contain him. I informed  them that he was autistic and needed to be in a smaller classroom.

The particular school he attended did not have such accommodations for my son. Instead we had meetings upon meetings upon meetings because they couldn’t handle my child — mind you my special needs child that needed to be in a smaller environment. They wrote him off as a behavior child instead of taking in consideration that he did have a disability. They sent him to alternative school for his behavior problems which I believe was unfair because the behavior came from being a sensory overload.

At the end of the 2017 school year, I was to my wits end with public school and them not taking into consideration of my child’s disability. Also in 2017 I received information about a school in Conway that focuses on the needs of special children. It’s a nonprofit school, which usually means it’s kind of costly.

Being a single mother of two kids one having autism, without the scholarship I would not be able to afford the proper learning environment that my son needs to be able to succeed. We have been with the Compass Academy for three years now, and each year my son improves more and more — whether it be people skills, motor skills. Without the scholarship that wouldn’t be possible. Thank you for your time.

– Emily, parent

We are so grateful that our daughter receives the Succeed Scholarship! Parenting a special needs child is so hard.

Our daughter Christina was born with a rare genetic disorder called Angelman Syndrome. She is nonverbal and has some mental disability and is prone to seizures. She uses an app on her iPad to communicate. We are so thankful that due to the Succeed Scholarship, she can attend the Easter Seals at Academy at Riverdale School. She is so happy and thrives there!

We love the small classes that she would not get at a public school. The therapists and teachers are excellent. She loves to go to school there. We are thankful for the Succeed Scholarship and our school choice. Please continue to fund this program for our kids. It really does make a difference!

– Duong and Angela, parents