Kami Davis of Indiana
Kami Davis is thrilled by the academic progress her son Isaiah has made since he began attending Jewel Christian Academy, a K-5 private school. Kami Davis, a single mother from Indianapolis, Indiana, knew nothing about the CHOICE Charitable Trust when she ran across its listing in the local phone book. Still, she sensed that the program could help her and her ten-year-old son, Isaiah. Kami was familiar with the Indianapolis Public School (IPS) system from her middle and high school days and knew that IPS was not the best fit for her son.
When Isaiah attended School 57 in IPS, Kami worried about his poor academic progress. “His grades were C’s, D’s, and F’s. His behavior needed improvement, and his self-esteem was low,” Kami said. “Students picked on him. [He had] no positive involvement, no motivation.”
“I didn’t know what I was looking for or what I was doing,” she said. Then she saw the CHOICE listing in the Yellow Pages.
After talking to officials from the program, Kami applied, and her son was quickly enrolled in Jewel Christian Academy, a K-5 private school operated by the Eastern Star Church, which is located near her house. Kami was impressed by the new environment and its effect on Isaiah’s academic performance.
“His grades went from C’s and D’s to A’s and B’s,” Kami said. She especially appreciated the small class sizes, which ranged from 26 to 32 students at School 57 but only 12 to 16 at Isaiah’s new school. That allows for greater individual attention from the teachers, she notes. This advantage, along with the increased parent-teacher involvement and Isaiah’s exposure to positive male role models (which his upbringing had previously lacked), left Kami pleased with the new school.
Kami is aware that formal education is one of the most vital aspects of a young person’s development, and she is quick to point out that the inclusion of family and parent nights at the school made it easier for her to get involved in her son’s education. “Whether it is IPS, township schools, Christian or Catholic, [schooling is] very important. But what you put into it is what you get out of it.”
Kami is pleased with the program. “Isaiah does not have to prove himself—he gets to be himself, and he is valued as a young man and person,” she said.
