Monica Poindexter of Indiana
Monica is very thankful for the opportunity she gained through the CHOICE Charitable Trust to send her daughter Mia to the school that best fits her needs.
Monica Poindexter first learned of Holy Angels Catholic School in Indianapolis through a recommendation from her sister. Initially she was interested in enrolling her nine-year-old daughter, Mia, at the school, but she knew she would not be able to afford the tuition at Holy Angels. After a little bit of investigation, however, Monica was led to CHOICE Charitable Trust, a program offering scholarship grants to Indianapolis children. Monica applied, and her daughter was awarded a scholarship and was enrolled in the school.
Monica is very thankful for the opportunity she gained through the CHOICE Charitable Trust. “Without it, there is no way I could afford [to send my daughter to Holy Angels] with the income I have.” Monica says that the staff and culture at Holy Angels are helping “get Mia where she needs to be” as a student.
Her test scores show it. Last year was Mia's first year for taking the ISTEP exams, the Indiana standardized testing program administered to children beginning in third grade. “Her scores were wonderful,” said Monica. “She is now reading at the 6th grade level, and her math skills are in the 5th grade range. Her scores were off the chart!”
Monica attributes Mia's high test scores to the individual attention that comes with the small class sizes at Holy Angels. Without this benefit, Monica wonders where her daughter's educational progress might be.
“The class size allows the teacher to individually work with the children and not necessarily in small groups,” said Monica. “Last year Mia was having trouble with some new math concepts. I was able to call and email her teacher. He came in early and even took some time during lunch [to help Mia].”
Monica is now a strong supporter of school choice. After seeing firsthand the benefits of the CHOICE Charitable Trust, Monica feels that all parents should have these types of options available to them. “Being able to choose where my daughter is able to attend school has been one of the best choices I have ever been able to make for her,” she said. “Our experience has been wonderful. Not only has Mia been able to get a good educational experience, but she is learning good life values.”
