I am a senior at Cristo Rey Jesuit High school. I’m 17 years old and have two younger sisters. I like to speak out against social injustices.
I went to Notre Dame Middle School and went to a public elementary school. At my public school, I did not get a lot of opportunities. I could not get into the after school program, which I really needed at that time. That is something I was able to participate in at Catholic school.
My aunt really encouraged my parents to send me to a Catholic school because my cousin had a good experience at the school. They liked that it offered longer days and was faith centered and that it was a smaller school.
My sisters are nine and four. My mom just moved my sister to a private school because she liked the opportunities it provided me and can provide for her. We participate in the choice program, which helps us afford that opportunity. That is really important to my family because my parents are not paid very much at their jobs.
“I believe in school choice because helping all children have access to good schools is good for the whole community.”
My parents wanted to come to America so that I, and now my sisters too, could have a brighter future. And they’ve been willing to sacrifice so that can happen. Education is very important to them. Every day they wake up and encourage us to go farther and work hard so we can have better. They fight so much for us and it motivates me to work hard to make them proud.
One thing that makes my school unique is that we have a corporate work study program. We are placed in jobs and get to work with people who have more experience and can teach us a lot and help us prepare for college and work. We aren’t going into college empty handed. There’s really no other school like that in Milwaukee.
I believe in school choice because helping all children have access to good schools is good for the whole community. Education is important. Whether middle class or lower income, families should have access to a good education. It should be a right.
