A Grandmother’s Story

Shari Burks is on a singular mission – to provide the best possible education for her grandchildren. Thanks to tuition scholarships from the Louisiana Scholarship Program, Shari’s seven grandchildren now attend Hosanna Christian Academy in Baton Rouge.

Hosanna Christian Academy provides Baton Rouge families with a high quality, Christian education for students in PreK-2 to eighth grade.

Prior to her grandchildren’s participation in the Louisiana Scholarship Program, Shari relied on public schools she felt were leaving her grandchildren behind. That was clearly the case for Tamara.

Tamara arrived at Hosanna as a fourth grader, but was reading at a second-grade level.

“When Tamara was in public school she wasn’t excelling. I noticed she wouldn’t read,” Shari recalled. Despite Tamara’s difficulty reading, she was still being promoted. “They kept on pushing her through.”

At Hosanna, Tamara was held back two grade levels while working to improve her reading skills. The strategy worked. Three years later, she is on the school’s honor roll.

Shari is a highly involved grandparent, with Hosanna at the center of her family’s life. An always-present volunteer during extracurricular activities, Shari is active in the school’s Parent Teaching Investment Group.

“I have personally gotten more involved, not only in my grandchildren’s education, but all of the children at the school.”

While the opportunity to attend Hosanna has been life changing for Tamara, Shari says every parent should have the option of sending their children to an excellent school.

“The scholarship program is a blessing for all kids, not just my grandkids. It is a better education. It’s a choice they have.”