Arizona Scholarships Empower Parents to Choose the Best Education for Their Children

When Aleta Atonda first learned about Arizona’s Empowerment Scholarship Accounts (ESA) Program, her daughter Roseanna was attending a failing public school in Tucson that was on the verge of closing its doors. Aleta had for years wanted to send her daughter to the local Catholic school, St. John the Evangelist, and ESA finally gave her that chance.

“We wouldn’t even have considered sending Roseanna to St. John the Evangelist without ESA,” Aleta, whose second-grade daughter attends one of the Notre Dame ACE Academies in Tucson, Arizona, said. “I’ve wanted to send her to St. John’s a few times in the past, but didn’t think it was possible. When I found out about ESA, I jumped at the opportunity.”

ESA strives to provide education choice for some of Arizona’s most underserved communities—those with learning disabilities, those attending ‘D’ or ‘F’ schools, and recently, those living on Indian Reservations. For Roseanna, a new school has meant a drastic shift in her academics, and her overall outlook on school.

“Roseanna has flourished at St. John’s thanks to the support of her family and especially her mom,” Roseanna’s second-grade teacher Stephanie House said. “Her family’s commitment to her success and the strong culture at St. John’s has enabled her to go from below grade level to on or above grade level. Most of all, I hear from Roseanna and her family that she is happy and able to live out her faith as part of the St. John’s community.”

The mission of the Notre Dame ACE Academies says it strives to place children on the path to “college and heaven,” and those at St. John’s said Roseanna is on her way down that path.

“Roseanna has demonstrated academic growth and an enthusiasm to learn,” development director Dene Hummon said. Hummon helped the Atondas through the ESA application process. “She will be a first generation college student.”

Aleta agreed that her daughter has embraced her new school and community.

“Roseanna’s attitude is different. She loves coming to school and is enthusiastic to attend. She is doing outstanding compared to last year, and she is demonstrating learning at home.”

The Empowerment Scholarship Account Program is giving parents the ability to choose the education they believe is right for their children, and for the Atondas, St. John the Evangelist is providing that education. When asked about her favorite part of school, Roseanna’s answer could not have been clearer.

“Everything!”