First day of school photos of CSF Scholars are coming in, and they show bright, happy faces eager to learn! This year’s CSF Scholars join a rich legacy of educational opportunity that began in 1998 when John Walton and Ted Forstmann first launched CSF. That’s right, CSF will mark its 20-year anniversary in 2018. Over the past two decades, more than 166,000 children across the country have benefited from a solid educational foundation using CSF scholarships. This Saturday, we will begin Twenty Days to Kick Off a Celebration of Twenty Years, marking this milestone and spotlighting CSF Scholars old and new.
Here in New York, in addition to our returning Scholars, close to 2,000 children are heading to school with brand new CSF scholarships. These new CSF Scholars are attending private schools of all types in every borough, including 42 schools participating with CSF for the first time.
What all CSF Scholars share, whether they’re new or returning and regardless of where they live, is that their families are empowered to choose schools they believe will best meet their children’s needs and allow them to fulfill their potential. Here are just a few examples of enthusiastic new CSF Scholars and their families:
- Rising fourth-grader Matthew was used to getting good grades at his South Bronx charter school. However, as he got older, his mom, Libanesa, grew more disappointed with the behavior of some of his fellow students, and decided it was time for a more disciplined environment. Now as a new CSF Scholar, Matthew is excited to enroll at Sacred Heart School, where he looks forward to continuing his violin studies, joining the chess team, and taking advantage of other opportunities that will help prepare him for becoming an astronaut, his current career goal.
- Eight-year-old Khloe had a tough time at school last year when bullies distracted her from learning. But her mom, Natasha, is optimistic as Khloe enters third grade at New Grace Education Center with a new CSF scholarship. “I’m hoping that at least at the end of third grade, she’ll be way ahead of where she is now and achieve more academically,” Natasha told us. “That’s what all parents want, which is why they try to make that sacrifice to send them to a good school.”
- New CSF Scholar Florencio is just starting Kindergarten and his mom, Gloria, wanted to enroll him at St. Helena School, where he completed Pre-K, but tuition was going to be a challenge (Pre-K is free). “I was so happy that he got the scholarship because that’s a big help for us,” Gloria told us. “It’s a wonderful blessing and it’s going to provide a wonderful opportunity for my son. I just want the best for him. I want him to be able to achieve, and go as far as he can go.”
Please join us over the next four weeks on Facebook and Twitter as we highlight CSF partners in 26 cities and regions, CSF participating schools, and best of all, CSF Scholars and their families during Twenty Days to Kick Off a Celebration of Twenty Years – or #20for20 for short!