Jesus and Yadira Gonzales of Indiana
Jesus and Yadira Gonzales were grateful to receive scholarship assistance to send three of daughters--Melvin, Ashlee, and Sirlene--to Oaks Academy. Soon their youngest daughter, Esther, will be joining her siblings at the small private school. For Jesus and Yadira Gonzales and their four children, the CHOICE Charitable Trust offered a great opportunity. Three of the four Gonzales children—Melvin, Ashlee, and Sirlene—attended Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) before receiving scholarship assistance from CHOICE allowing them to attend Oaks Academy, a small private school on the city’s north side. The school provides a rich, classical education to children of diverse racial and socioeconomic backgrounds.
The family found out about CHOICE through officials at Oaks Academy. Had they not received financial assistance, the Gonzales family would not have been able to send their children to Oaks, which features smaller class sizes than those at IPS and more individual attention. After receiving scholarships through CHOICE, however, Jesus and Yadira were able to send their three oldest children to Oaks, where they are now benefiting from the advantages a private education offers.
The Gonzales couple have been married for 15 years; they immigrated to the United States from Mexico. Their four children have all been born in the United States and are enjoying their new school.
Jesus and Yadira firmly believe that their children are receiving a better education at Oaks than they were at IPS, and they are very pleased with the environment and opportunities available at Oaks. In particular, Jesus likes the personalized atmosphere the school offers. “Teachers in public schools do not have the time to spend [individually] with each student, or to be with one child at a time,” said Jesus. “They do not have the time to do that in public schools, to provide more personalized education. When I was a student, there were more than 25 students per grade. When I tried to ask for help, the teachers were not available.”
At Oaks, by contrast, the Gonzales children have received the amount of attention they need in order to succeed at their studies. Jesus and Yadira support school choice because of the options it has provided them. Yadira notes that it is because of CHOICE that her children are able to receive such a good education. “Without it, [our children] would not be going to the Oaks Academy,” said Yadira. Soon their youngest daughter, Esther, will be joining her siblings at Oaks.
