In the spring of 2006, Melody received her high
school diploma, an accomplishment
that had once seemed unachievable.

About Miami Union Academy
A local institution for 90 years, Miami Union Academy is a K-12 school that serves more than 300 children, 100 of whom attend on Step Up For Students Scholarships. The school graduates 95 percent of it students, and 90 percent go on to college. Average tuition at the school is $4,000 per year. Miami Union administers the following standardized
achievement tests: IOWA Test of Basic Skills, PSAT, Plan and Explorer. Please see the school spotlights section of this report for a complete story on Miami Union Academy.

Melody Cherfils
Miami Union Academy Graduate

Melody Cherfils is currently a sophomore at Oakwood College in Huntsville, Ala. She is also a 2006 graduate of Miami Union Academy, a school she was able to attend thanks to the Step Up For Students Scholarship Program. Melody’s story is one of overcoming extreme difficulties in school and life to get on the right path to success.

Prior to receiving a Step Up For Students Scholarship, Melody faced many challenges in her public school classes. By the time she reached eighth grade, she was failing all of her classes and her grade point average (GPA) dropped below a 1.0. She did not foresee graduating and going to college seemed impossible. With no hope left in herself or her academic abilities, Melody thought her only option was to drop out of school.

Melody’s mother, Mellie Prophete, cared too much about her daughter to allow her to continue down a destructive path. Mellie searched until she found a solution through the Step Up For Students Scholarship Program. The scholarship enabled her mother, a single parent with limited financial means, to send Melody to Miami Union Academy, a school that she felt could help her daughter rise above her academic challenges.

The teachers at Miami Union worked with Melody to address her learning needs and help her overcome the problems she had been facing at her previous school. As time passed, Melody progressed and was finally able to grasp the material in her classes. By the end of her first year at Miami Union, she was making A’s, B’s and C’s – a big leap forward from the failing grades she was making at her previous school.

During the next few years at Miami Union Academy, Melody continued to strengthen her academic abilities and her GPA continued to rise. By her junior year, her GPA had increased to a 3.0. With better grades, Melody’s self-esteem also improved and she was encouraged to try harder. She began to think about her future and longed to go to college.

Over the next year, Melody worked hard to make good grades and by the end of her senior year, her GPA had risen to a 3.5 for the year. In the spring of 2006, Melody received her high school diploma, an accomplishment that had once seemed unachievable.

Melody is now a sophomore at Oakwood College studying to be a physician’s assistant. She is also the first in her family to go to college. In the spring of 2008, Melody will receive her associate’s degree and then transfer to a university to pursue a degree in either biology or nursing.

Melody acknowledges that the success she has experienced and the person she has become is a result of the education she received at Miami Union and the opportunity she was given through the scholarship program. She thanks Step Up For Students and its donors for giving her a second chance to achieve her dreams.

About Heartland Christian Academy
Located in Kissimmee, Heartland Christian Academy currently serves 339 students in Kindergarten through 12th grade. More than 100 of the students are receiving Step Up For Students Scholarships. The standardized testing method used at Heartland is the Stanford Achievement Test (SAT). The tuition at Heartland (not including application fees, registration and curriculum) is $4,065 for K5 through fifth grade; $4,205 for sixth through eighth grade; $4,285 for ninth through 11th grade; and $4,390 for 12th grade.

Janina and Joshua Lebron
Heartland Christian Academy Kissimmee

Seeing the Lebrons’ frustration, one of Janina’s teachers told them about the Step Up For Students program. Eager to have a solution for their daughter, Karen and Julio applied for and received a scholarship for Janina. They chose to send Janina to Heartland Christian Academy, a school they felt could address her learning needs and help get her back on the right path. They were right.

Janina Lebron is a sixth-grader who has attended Heartland Christian School on a Step Up For Students Scholarship for the past three years. Once a failing student, Janina has been able to overcome significant academic challenges and get back on track at her parent-selected school. Her older brother, Joshua Lebron, who is attending Heartland for the first time this year on the scholarship program, is now excelling at higher levels and preparing for college.

Prior to receiving a scholarship, Janina struggled in public
school from the beginning. She continually made failing grades and, as a result, she had to repeat second grade. Even when she was finally promoted to third grade she continued to face challenges in her classes and by the middle of the year she was in danger of failing once again. Worried about their daughter, Karen and Julio Lebron even had Janina tested for a learning disability, but the results showed that she had normal learning capabilities.

As a family with limited means, the Lebrons knew that they could not afford many options for their daughter but they did not want her to have to repeat another grade and fall behind further. So in January 2005, they refinanced their house and borrowed money from their relatives to cover the cost of sending Janina to Sylvan Learning Center for tutoring programs. The tutoring helped her pass third grade and when she finished the program nine months later she was finally scoring at grade level on the standardized achievement test.

However, the Lebrons’ happiness was short lived. When Janina began the fourth grade, her struggles began once again. She hated going to school and would even complain of stomachaches from the stress.

Seeing the Lebrons’ frustration, one of Janina’s teachers told them about the Step Up For Students program. Eager to have a solution for their daughter, Karen and Julio applied for and received a scholarship for Janina. They chose to send Janina to Heartland Christian Academy, a school they felt could address her learning needs and help her get back on the right path. They were right.

Once placed in the right environment, Janina’s struggles in school began to subside. Her teachers worked with her to improve her academic skills, especially in the critical areas of reading and math. She even entered a reading challenge contest in which she read 16 books in one year – a major accomplishment considering her past struggles with reading.

Today Janina is in the sixth grade at Heartland Christian Academy, where she consistently makes A’s and B’s and even participates in extracurricular activities such as the school’s basketball team. Janina, who was once a student who dreaded going to school, now loves going to school and is confident in her abilities.

The Lebrons were so impressed with their daughter’s turnaround that they decided to enroll one of their older sons, Joshua, in Heartland this year, also on the scholarship program. Joshua, who is a senior this year, always performed adequately in school. However, they did not think he was reaching his full potential and they wanted to see him build a future for himself and attend college. After just one semester at Heartland, Joshua now has a 4.0 grade point average and is beginning to plan for his future. He is working towards a Bright Futures Scholarship and is considering studying counseling or psychology when he goes to college next year.

Tevin Valdez
Chapel in the Pines Academy Tampa

Receiving the scholarship to attend a school that could meet his needs enabled Tevin to overcome his academic challenges and get back on track. Over the past three years, he has transformed from a failing student who
was certain to be lost in the shuffle to an eager young man equipped with drive and determination.

A few years ago, Tevin Valdez’s academic future was in jeopardy, primarily because of his struggle with reading. However, through the use of a Step Up For Students Scholarship, Tevin has been able to attend Chapel in the Pines Academy, a school that has equipped him with the skills necessary to overcome his academic challenges and develop into a well-rounded individual. His success has even
inspired his mother to pursue her own dreams.

Tevin comes from a single-parent household, where his mother, Tonja Anderson, works hard to make sure the needs of her five children are met. Tevin has four sisters, including Faith Lark, who is actually Tevin’s cousin but has been raised by Tonja as her own since birth. Faith was born a drugaddicted baby and, as a result, she has struggled with severe mental development and medical issues her whole life. His two younger biological sisters, twins Angela and Angel Dell, have also struggled with medical and learning problems since a very young age.

Times became more difficult for the family when Tevin was in first grade at the local public school. He struggled with reading, causing him to fall behind in all subjects. Because of his poor reading skills, he eventually failed and had to repeat first grade. Although he eventually passed first grade, his difficulties continued well into his second grade year. At that time, his mother learned that he had vision problems, which contributed to his inability to read. Getting glasses helped, but because he had struggled so long with reading, Tevin was significantly behind in his grade level and was in danger of failing again.

Although her oldest daughter Destine Anderson was doing very well in public school, Tonja knew Tevin needed an environment that could address his specific learning needs. Determined to find a remedy for her son, Tonja applied for and received a Step Up For Students Scholarship for Tevin to attend Chapel in the Pines Academy, a school she was certain would offer him the educational structure he needed to get back on track.

Upon entering the school, the teachers at Chapel in the Pines devised a plan to get Tevin’s reading level up to par. The constructive environment combined with the support from his mother and teachers helped Tevin to greatly improve his reading skills and as a result, he began to excel in all subjects.

Now, rather than failing his classes, he consistently makes A’s and B’s. Over the past three years, Tevin has transformed from a failing student who was certain to be lost in the shuffle to an eager young man equipped with drive and determination. At barely 12 years old, he has also become very knowledgeable
and opinioned, especially in the area of politics. He even keeps up with the current presidential race and has long debates with his mother and teachers on who is the most suitable candidate to be our next president! It comes to no surprise to his family or teachers that he plans to pursue a career in politics or law.

Chapel in the Pines has also helped address Faith’s unique learning needs, who attends the school on a
McKay Scholarship, as well as Tevin’s two younger sisters, Angel and Angela, who also are Step Up For Students scholarship recipients. Seeing the tremendous hurdles Tevin and his siblings have overcome has inspired their mother to accomplish her own goals. Tonja recently finished her paralegal degree and is continuing to pursue a career in law. Tonja is exceedingly proud of her children and thankful to the scholarship program for giving them a chance to succeed.

Michael Long
*PARENT SPOTLIGHT* Jacksonville

When the Step up For Students program gave Michael Long’s oldest child, Christina, a second chance at success, he was given the hope that his family can overcome any obstacle that they face.

Michael Long is a divorced father who is raising his three children on his own – Christina Long (17), Michael Long II (15) and Mitchell Long (11). Mr. Long, who was physically disabled a few years ago, has faced many challenges with his family, including one child with autism and another with Tourette’s Syndrome and a third whose future was in danger as a result of failing grades. However, when the Step Up For Students program gave his oldest child, Christina, a second chance at success, he was given the hope that his family can overcome any obstacle that they face.

After his wife left in 1999, Mr. Long became a single father, raising his three young children alone on his limited income as a truck driver. To make matters worse, he had ruptured several discs in his back as a result of 27 years as a truck driver and had to have major surgery that put him at risk for being crippled the rest of his life. Thankfully he did not lose his walking ability, but he did have to give up his job as a truck driver, which further limited his ability to financially support his family.

These tragic events put a further strain on the family who had already dealt with many other difficulties. Michael (II) had autism, while his younger brother Mitchell dealt with the affects of Tourette’s Syndrome. The public school was able to meet the special needs of Michael and Mitchell, but unfortunately Christina had a difficult experience.

Christina was an average student in elementary school, but the transition from elementary to middle school, combined with the difficulties her family was facing, negatively affected her academic performance. She constantly struggled with English and math. She was failing all of her classes and eventually had to repeat sixth grade.

As Christina’s struggles continued, Mr. Long searched for solutions to get her back on track. He met with her teachers several times and even placed her in tutoring, but nothing seemed to help his daughter and he felt helpless. Over the next two years, Christina continued to make failing grades in her classes, with her highest grade being a C in her seventh grade physical education class. She was placed in intensive reading and math classes because she was unable to keep up with her regular classes.

When Christina was in ninth grade she began attending First United Pentecostal Church of Jacksonville. After she confided in the youth pastor about her struggles with school, he told her about the Step Up For Students Scholarship Program. Mr. Long immediately applied for and received a scholarship for Christina to attend Jacksonville Christian Academy (JCA).

Christina began her 10th grade year at JCA and Mr. Long was eager for his daughter to get the help she needed at the new school. However, because she had barely passed her classes at the public school for several years, she was behind in all subjects and her standardized test scores indicated that her comprehension skills were below grade level. Therefore, although she was in the 10th grade, she began the school at eighth-grade and ninth-grade levels for most of her classes and even as low as a fifth-grade level in English. Despite the challenges, the teachers at JCA were determined to help Christina get back on track and worked with her one-on-one for hours at a time.

Christina’s determination combined with the help she received from her teachers and the encouragement from her father paid off. Now in the 12th grade, Christina has caught up to her grade level, scoring all A’s and B’s in her classes and consistently making the school’s honor roll. Additionally, over the past three years she has received recognition for her accomplishments, including awards such as most improved, most likely to succeed and most paces completed. She even was a member of the school’s yearbook staff, a major accomplishment considering her past struggles with English and writing.

Christina’s teachers have inspired her to help other children and she hopes to go to college to pursue a degree in elementary education so she too can become a teacher. She is already getting a head start on her career by volunteering as a teacher’s aide at JCA.

Michael Long is extremely proud of his daughter and grateful to the teachers at JCA for helping her overcome extreme difficulties. He tips his hat to the Step Up For Students donors and supporters for making it possible for Christina to have a second chance for a bright future.

The Sousa Family
Calusa Preparatory School Miami

The Sousa family is a shining example of how one size does not fit all when it comes to the education of a child. The Sousa children – Adrian (16), Darian (12), Kristi (11), and Kristopher (6) – attend Calusa Preparatory School in Miami on Step Up For Students Scholarships. Adrian, Darian and Kristi have been on the scholarship program for five years and have excelled in an academic environment that best meets their individual needs. Adrian, the oldest of the Sousa children, attended private school in third grade, but the next year his mother, Ariadne Sousa, with three other children to care for, was unable to afford the private school tuition due to financial constraints. Adrian began to attend his local public school in fourth grade, and shortly after, he began to receive threats from his peers and got into physical fights with other students. The problems he was encountering outside the classroom affected his schoolwork and he began to make C’s and D’s in his classes. At this time, Adrian’s younger sister, Darian, began Kindergarten at the public school. That year, Darian was diagnosed with severe hearing loss in both ears and she had to have several operations to help her hearing. Her hearing difficulties caused her to have problems with phonetics and the pronunciation of letters and words, which led to her falling behind in reading. She barely passed Kindergarten and continued to fall behind in first grade. She struggled with her schoolwork and would cry out of frustration and embarrassment as her grades kept getting worse. Because of her hearing problems and reluctance to read aloud in class, Darian continued to struggle academically and failed first grade. Ariadne was at her wits end, suffering along with her daughter through this ordeal, not knowing how to help her. They wanted to retain Darian a second time, when Ariadne heard about the Step Up For Students Scholarship Program. Ariadne applied for scholarships for Adrian, Darian and Kristi. After they were approved, Ariadne enrolled all three children in Calusa Preparatory School. Upon entering Calusa Prep, Darian enrolled in the ACE (Accelerated Christian Education) curriculum program, which allowed her to work at her own pace. Additionally, the small student/teacher ratio allowed her to work one-on-one with her professor. As a result, she was able to catch up on her grade level, and as her grades increased, so did her self-confidence. Now in the sixth grade at Calusa Prep, Darian is excelling. Instead of making D’s and F’s like she had in public school, she is now making A’s and B’s in her classes. She has realized her potential and is very proud of herself. Calusa Prep has also helped Adrian improve tremendously. Adrian began attending Calusa Prep when he was in sixth grade. At public school, Adrian faced threats from his peers and was making C’s and D’s in his classes. Now in the 11th grade at Calusa Prep, Adrian no longer has problems in school and is making straight A’s in his classes. In the beginning of the 2006-2007 school year, the youngest member of the Sousa family, Kristopher, a Kindergartner, joined his brother and sisters at Calusa Prep with the help from a Step Up For Students Scholarship. Acknowledging the scholarship program saved her children from an uncertain future, Ariadne Sousa is thankful to Step Up For Students and its donors for giving her children a chance to succeed.

Ethan Cadore
Seacoast Christian Academy Jacksonville

An aspiring lawyer, Ethan Cadore has been attending Seacoast Christian Academy on a Step Up For Students Scholarship since he was in eighth grade. Five years ago, Ethan was a student who struggled academically in his Public school. Now a senior at Seacoast Christian Academy, Ethan is in the top 10 percent of his class academically and looking forward to attending college next year to pursue a career in law. A few years ago, Ethan was attending his local public middle school and struggling to pass his classes, especially math. He was making F’s in math and his grades in his other classes also were declining because he was not in an environment that could address his learning needs. Ethan even attended the summer school program in hopes of overcoming his difficulties in his classes, but it did not help. Ethan’s younger sister, Tyla Cadore, was also struggling at her elementary public school, especially with reading. She was not performing at her full potential. Joy Worrell, Ethan and Tyla’s mother, was concerned about her children’s futures and feared that their struggles in school would only get worse. However, as a single parent raising two children on a limited income, Joy knew she could not afford to send them to private school. Joy was searching for a solution to help her children when a co-worker heard the Step Up For Students Scholarship Program advertised on the radio and told her that Ethan and Tyla might be eligible to receive scholarships. After applying for and receiving the scholarships, Joy enrolled Ethan and Tyla in Seacoast Christian Academy – a school that she felt could meet the needs of both of her children. Ethan’s performance in school has increased drastically over the past five years. He no longer struggles with math and is even on the A-B honor roll at Seacoast Christian. He is also a valuable member of the school’s basketball team and serves as a teacher’s aide. Additionally, at the end of the school year, he will graduate from Seacoast Christian in the top 10 percent of his class! Following graduation, Ethan plans to attend college to study law in hopes of pursuing a career as an attorney. Ethan has become a very motivated young man, driven by a strong determination to accomplish all of his goals. Needless to say, his mother is very proud of him. The Step Up For Students Scholarship Program has been a life-changing experience for Ethan’s family and he is very thankful for those who have made it possible for him to reach his full potential.

Arielle & Alliece Spencer
PACE Private School Tampa

Arielle Spencer and Alliece Spencer are the twin daughters of Gaetana Spencer, a divorced mother of three who works hard to ensure her children succeed. More than five years ago, Arielle and Alliece struggled to pass their classes in their public elementary school. Today, they are excelling at PACE Private School, where they have attended for the past five years on Step Up For Students Scholarships. This spring, the Spencer girls will graduate high school and continue to pursue higher education and explore career opportunities in the real world – a part of their life that they are now better equipped for thanks to the education and guidance they have received at their parent-selected school. When Arielle and Alliece were in fifth grade at their local public school, they struggled with academics, especially in math and reading. Additionally, they were scoring in the lower percentile of the students in their grade on the standardized achievement tests. Because they were not in an environment that could address their learning needs, both Arielle and Alliece failed fifth grade. As Arielle and Alliece repeated the fifth grade at the public school, Gaetana began to search for other solutions to help her daughters. After visiting PACE Private School in Tampa, she learned about a new scholarship program available to help low-income parents send their children to private school – a program now known as Step Up For Students. Ms. Spencer eagerly applied for Arielle and Alliece and, shortly after, both of her daughters received scholarships to attend PACE Private School. Gaetana noticed vast changes in her daughters’ grades, self-esteem and motivation the first year they attended PACE. As a result of the encouragement they received from their teachers, Arielle and Alliece began to believe in their own abilities and it positively affected their grades. By the end of that first year, both girls were on the honor roll – a goal that had seemed unobtainable before. The learning environment at PACE has given both
girls the chance to work independently and develop skills for a successful future. Arielle and Alliece have continued to sharpen their own strengths and receive excellent grades during the past five years. Both girls remain on the school’s honor roll and have excellent grade point averages – including a 3.0 GPA for Alliece and a 3.5 GPA for Arielle. They have also developed a keen interest in their sign language class, a subject in which they continually excel. Arielle and Alliece are very excited to graduate at the end of the 2006-07 school year and look forward to continuing their education at Hillsborough Community College. Gaetana Spencer thanks the teachers at PACE for providing an academic environment that is right for her daughters and giving them the tools for a bright future. Most of all, the Spencer family thanks the Step Up For Students donors and supporters who have made it all possible.

Karen Feliciano
Covenant Christian School Palm Bay

Karen Feliciano is an 11th-grader attending Covenant Christian School in Palm Bay on a Step Up For Students Scholarship. An aspiring singer and musician, Karen’s experience at Covenant Christian has given her the opportunity to shine in both academics and fine arts. Karen and her parents moved from Puerto Rico to Florida when she was in third grade and Karen began attending public school in Palm Bay. While attending the public school, Karen’s grades and self-esteem suffered. Her biggest challenge was in her math class – a subject in which she continually made failing grades. As a result of her failing grades, she did not believe in herself or her academic abilities. Additionally, Karen feared going to school, where physical fighting among her peers was a daily occurrence and the students had a lack of respect for the teachers. Fearing for their daughter’s future and safety, Karen’s parents applied for the Step Up For Students program. Karen received a scholarship during her ninth-grade year and began attending Covenant Christian School. Upon entering Covenant Christian, Karen received help from her teachers and tutors and her grades improved. Now in the 11th grade, Karen is no longer struggling in her math classes - she is making all A’s and B’s! She has also developed amazing talents in singing and acting through Covenant Christian’s chorus and drama programs. After realizing Karen’s outstanding musical abilities, the Step Up For Students team asked her to showcase her talents during the Donor Appreciation Rally in October 2006 in Orlando. During the rally, Karen sang two of her own songs – one in Spanish and one in English – to express her gratitude to the program’s donors and supporters. Karen has always been an admirer of music and dramatic arts – and Covenant’s programs have helped her fine tune her skills. She began singing in church when she was only 2 years old. At age 6, Karen began to play the piano and eventually began taking guitar lessons. Now at the age of 15, Karen aspires to be a musician and an actress. She regularly participates in Covenant’s choir and drama programs – including playing leading roles in the school plays. She also has taken on other leadership roles in her community – such as serving as the youth leader at her church, organizing meetings and activities. When asked about her experience on the scholarship program, Karen is very eager to express her appreciation for the program and its supporters. “My whole life has changed,” Karen says. “My self-esteem has gone up and I now realize how smart I really am. I am so thankful to everyone who has made this possible. I hope that other children can receive the opportunity and privilege that I have had participating in this program.”

Rebekah Ferrari - Parent Spotlight
New Port Richey

Rebekah Ferrari is a divorced mother raising four children on her own, while attending college fulltime and working to support her family. Three of her children are on the Step Up For Students Scholarship Program. The scholarship program has not only helped her children achieve academically – it has been a life-changing experience for her entire family. In 2002, Rebekah and her husband divorced, and Rebekah and her young children moved from Georgia to Florida. Shortly after, Rebekah learned about the Step Up For Students program. Rebekah’s two oldest children, Christa and Payton, were not eligible to receive the scholarships that first year because they had not yet attended a Florida public school. However, Rebekah’s younger daughter, Alyssa, was eligible because she was entering Kindergarten and the public school requirement was waived. Because of the difficulties her oldest children were already facing in public school, Rebekah was pleased that Alyssa could begin her education in an environment that was suited to her individual educational requirements. In 2002, the same year Alyssa received her scholarship to attend private school, the family faced more hardship. Because of a lack of financial support, Rebekah was forced to move to a homeless shelter with her children. The homeless shelter became the family’s only home for five months. The transition and emotional stress affected the whole family. When Christa and Payton began attending the local public school, they faced many difficulties. Christa suffers from ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) and it became a daily struggle for her to keep up in school and, as a result, her grades dropped to D’s and F’s. On the other hand, Payton faced very different problems in public school than his older sister. Payton has a high IQ level of 142, but he was not being challenged enough at the public school. As a result, Payton’s motivation declined so drastically that he did not care about school and he began to fail his classes. The next year, Christa and Payton received Step Up For Students Scholarships and they were able to attend a private school that could address their individual learning needs. After attending their parent-selected school, both Christa and Payton improved greatly. Both children began to make A’s and B’s in their classes and their confidence soared. Payton even worked hard enough to skip a grade! Alyssa, who had been on the scholarship program since Kindergarten, benefited greatly from her academic environment and became an excellent student in her school.

Seeing her children overcome their own struggles inspired Rebekah to get her own life back on track. She went to college and became a certified surgical assistant and, shortly thereafter, Rebekah was able to move her family into their own house. Today, Rebekah continues on her path to success as a fulltime college student pursuing a nurse anesthetist degree. Alyssa, Payton and Christa currently attend Elfers Christian School in New Port Richey. All three are doing excellent academically and have begun to develop their own plans for the future. Alyssa wants to go into the medical field like her mother, Payton plans to be a computer engineer and Christa wants to be a zoologist or a veterinarian. Rebekah is exceedingly proud of her family and thankful to Step Up For Students for making such a profound impact on her family’s life and future.