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"Investment in knowledge pays the best interest"
- Benjamin Franklin

According to the Global Partnership for Education, education reduces poverty and bolsters the economy all the while improving individual health outcomes. Imagine what access to quality education could mean for youth in Milwaukee County where only one in eight black children live in economically comfortable families (Wisconsin Poverty Report), or in Racine County where 40 percent of households can't afford basic needs. While there is no shortage of schools, there are few schools that are helping children overcome barriers to achieve academic success and lifelong prosperity. LUMIN Schools are among the few exceptions. 

Your investment in LUMIN Schools, whether through financial support, program partnerships, material donations or volunteerism, directly increases the quality of education we can offer our scholars. 

Virtually all LUMIN Schools students participate in the Parental Choice Programs. Funds received through these programs are generally sufficient to pay basic operating expenses like teacher salaries, classroom materials and building expenses. However, voucher funding does not cover the “extras.”  We are spiritually driven to bring more students and their families to know Jesus Christ and to be baptized into His welcoming arms. We rely on gifts and grants from friends of LUMIN Schools to support these important aspects of our ministry.

You donated. A parent cried. Everyone is happy!

Imagine living in a neighborhood surrounded by failing schools. That is the situation for far too many families living in Milwaukee. More and more of these families are making the extra effort to find quality schools outside of their neighborhoods. Jessica Johnson is one of those parents. As her first-born, Nevaeh, entered 4K, Jessica searched for a Christian school known for academic rigor, a family-like environment, and a focus on building character. Her search led her to Granville Lutheran School, which is part of the LUMIN Schools network, and one of only 31 five-star rated schools in all of Milwaukee.

 

Granville is a private school that participates in the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program, but as a working mother, Jessica was proud to be a tuition-paying parent. She enrolled Nevaeh at Granville and was thrilled by how quickly her daughter thrived in the nurturing environment. Yet, the promising start to the school year was quickly overshadowed by a change in Jessica’s professional circumstances. Due to cut-backs at her company, Jessica lost her job.
Further complicating matters, her previous year’s income disqualified her from the Parental Choice Program, leaving her with no way to pay tuition at Granville. Jessica was heartbroken, knowing she would have to transfer
Nevaeh to a lesser-rated public school in the middle of the year.

 

“I felt like I was failing my daughter,” said Jessica. ”She was so happy at Granville, and I dreaded having to uproot her from a place where I knew she would be successful.”

 

The staff at Granville Lutheran quickly mobilized, contacting the LUMIN Schools network staff to explore the possibility of a scholarship. Granville Principal Trenae Howard was able to call Jessica with the great news; Nevaeh could stay at Granville on a full-tuition scholarship, made possible by the collective generosity of our donors.

 

“When I received that phone call, I cried,” said Jessica. “I was so relieved and incredibly grateful to the kind people whose donations made it possible for my daughter to receive the quality education she deserves.”

 

This happy ending was brought to you by the generous donors who understand that a top-notch education is one of the only ways our community, and its children, will rise. Not only do our donors help us provide scholarships to students like Nevaeh, they also help close “the gap,” allowing more than 1,400 scholars to get the education they need and deserve. “The gap” is the $1,500 difference between the voucher amount received for each student and the actual cost of giving a child an excellent education. Filling this gap means our scholars benefit from social work and counseling services, innovative STEM and career exploration programs, as well as extracurricular activities under the direction of inspirational teachers.

 

LUMIN believes every child can succeed with the right resources. Will you help us serve more scholars like Nevaeh? Your gift enables LUMIN Schools to meet the unique needs of each child and family because EVERY child deserves to be loved and receive a top-notch education.