Student Pays it Forward

Earlier this year, we shared a story about a Springer seventh grader who spoke to the Ohio House of Representatives to advocate for an increase in the Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarship. Instituted in 2012, it provides children with an IEP a scholarship to help cover the cost of tuition at private schools and services required by the IEP.

This courageous student is named Kinzley, and she is in the eighth grade now. At the hearing she talked about what it was like to struggle in school and how important it has been for her to receive a specialized education in classes with fifteen or fewer students.

For those who do not have a learning disability or ADHD, it is difficult to walk in the shoes of someone who does. Kinzley’s speech helped a room full of Ohio’s elected decision makers understand her experience and spoke to specific pieces that have helped her succeed. She was the voice for students everywhere who have lived these struggles.

We couldn’t be prouder of Kinzley for taking on the challenge to compose and share her story for such an important cause. We are also grateful to her mother, who testified to the importance of the Peterson Scholarship in making an expensive but invaluable education more possible for her daughter.

Now we are thrilled to share that their advocacy efforts resulted in the passage of a budget that included increases to the Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarship for the next two years. Their work will allow students across the entire state to access services they need to be successful. What an impactful way to pay it forward!

See the original story here.