From Military Moves to Putting Down Roots: One Family's School Choice Story
Our family has spent much of our lives in the military. My husband retired from the Air Force after 30 years of service, and I served for 12 years. We have been stationed in many places around the world, and our three children have grown up with all the moves and changes that come with military life.
Our youngest daughter, Katy, has struggled with learning since preschool. We have worked with her schools over the years through her 504 plan, but moving from school to school made it difficult to give her the consistency and support she needed. Each new school meant starting over, explaining her needs again, and hoping we could find the right help.
Three years ago, as my husband was retiring, we decided to settle in Prattville. Our two sons were attending Auburn University, and we wanted to stay close to them. More than anything, we wanted Katy to have the chance to attend one school, make lasting friendships, and hopefully stay there until graduation.
We knew we needed something different for Katy. Smaller classes were important, but we were also looking for individual academic help, reading support, and teachers who would take the time to understand how she learns. A friend of mine who visited schools through her job told me about the Alabama Opportunity Scholarship, and that led us to look at Prattville Christian Academy (PCA).
PCA offered so many of the things we had been hoping to find. Along with smaller class sizes, they had a resource program where Katy could get extra help with her schoolwork during the day. There was also reading and comprehension intervention and a dyslexia specialist who worked with students. Those services mattered tremendously to us because we knew Katy needed more than just a change of schools.
Katy received the Alabama Opportunity Scholarship three years ago, and this is now her third year at PCA. The scholarship has made it possible for us to choose a school with the kind of support she needs. Without that financial help, making this choice would have been much more difficult for our family.
Katy still has challenges, and some school days are harder than others. But she is also a bright, funny, compassionate, and creative girl. She loves art and dancing, and one of the best things to come out of her time at PCA has been discovering band. She loves being part of it, and it has helped her find friends and feel that she belongs. As her mom, that means just as much to me as her academic progress.
After so many years of military moves, it has meant a great deal to watch Katy begin to build a life in one place. We wanted her to have stability, people who know her, and a school that recognizes both her struggles and her strengths. We are grateful that PCA has given her opportunities to learn and grow in ways that work for her.
To our family, the Alabama Opportunity Scholarship is about much more than help with tuition. It has given us the ability to make an educational choice based on Katy's needs and to give her the best chance we can to succeed. We want her to grow up confident in who she is, proud of her abilities, and willing to keep trying even when things are difficult.
After a lifetime of military service and many moves, we have finally found a place to put down roots. We are thankful for the Alabama Opportunity Scholarship and for the part it has played in helping Katy find a school where she can learn, make friends, and feel at home.
