Abraham

Brenda and Steve believe that education is the most important gift they can give their three children. When they noticed that their oldest son, Abraham, was well behind his peers with basic reading skills and math concepts they knew something had to change. Despite the many hours they spent in the evenings working with their son and coordinating efforts with his teacher, they were not satisfied with his progress. Desperate and unable to afford private schooling, they began looking for options. They eventually found Children First Utah and applied for scholarships.

Children First granted their children scholarships for half of the tuition required to attend a private neighborhood school near their home. However, the parents still did not have the resources to pay the remaining $1,350 per month. Brenda met with the principal at the school and explained the family financial problem and her willingness to do even menial chores to get her children into a better school. Brenda now cleans the restrooms at the school everyday to pay for the family’s half of their tuition. In an essay Abraham wrote for Children First Utah, on what this scholarship means to him, he shares this moving admission: “I love Mount Vernon because everybody helps each other not make fun when I can’t learn fast like other kids in my class.”

Xiomi’s dream

Xiomi always dreamed of being a lawyer. Her mom knew education was going to play a critical role in achieving her long-term goals. She started out well in her neighborhood school, but in the 7th grade her GPA dropped to 1.1. After several attempts to correct the problem her mother was unable to get Xiomi the attention she needed. Desperate, her mother started looking for other options.

She found a private school that she knew would best fit her daughter's needs. Knowing she would not be able to afford full costs, the administrator at the school suggested Xiomi apply for a scholarship with Children First Utah. Now, Xiomi has graduated from Mount Vernon Academy with a 3.48 cumulative GPA and is enrolled in College. Mom shares, "every sacrifice made for Xiomi's education was well worth it. I was losing hope that she would ever be able to attend college. Children First Utah gave my daughter a gift of a lifetime."

Brian’s Story!

In pre-school Brian struggled with behavioral problems, including aggressiveness. He struggled for attention in a crowded class of 35 students. It became clear to his parents that Brian needed a smaller class size and a higher level of teacher attention. Thanks to a scholarship from Children First Utah, Brian was enrolled in a school that offers an environment conducive to his learning needs.

This decision was a significant strain on the family’s budget. But as Brian’s dad, Francisco, explains, “We drive around in a 12-year-old-car because right now what’s important to our family is to invest our money in education.”

Last year Francisco was in a car accident that left him unable to work for 8 months. Paying the family’s half of Brian’s tuition became an even greater struggle. However, since a quality education for Brian is a top priority for the entire family, grandparents pitched in to help cover the tuition costs until Francisco recovered.

Brian’s smile tells the rest of the story!

• There are currently 250 children on scholarships.
• Tuition assistance is paid directly to the 51 schools serving our scholarship recipients.
• Since the first awards in 2001, CFU has provided 954 scholarships.
• Over 800 children remain unaided on our waiting list, despite very little outreach into the community.
• The average income for a CFU family is below $25,000 a year.