Take Action! Give the Gift of a Great Education.

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I’m Kevin Hernandez. I’m a scholarship student at Williams College in Massachusetts—a long way from my home in Miami. I was valedictorian of my high school and I am the first in my family to go to college, leading the way for my little sister, Becky. I enjoy helping others, studying politics, and playing my PlayStation. I’m like every other kid in PolySci, with one exception: I am the only public school graduate in my classroom. I attribute my success to the education and care I received at my public charter school, Mater Academy. My previous school before Mater was dangerous. There were knife fights. Kids gave up on learning. Teachers gave up on kids. When my mom suggested we apply to Mater, I didn’t know it would lead me to where I am today. I just knew it had to be better. On my first day of Mater, I was so nervous, I asked my mom to walk me to school! It’s kind of embarrassing to look back on, but that’s what it meant to me—what it still means to me.

Today, public charter schools are educating nearly three million students like me—giving kids the opportunity to learn and grow, freed from school violence and academic standards that leave young minds unchallenged. Yet thousands more young people are languishing on waiting lists, hoping for a chance at better learning for a brighter future. You can help.
Today, for Giving Tuesday, the Katzman Ernst Family Foundation is teaming up with the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools to give the gift of a great education. Your donation will get kids like me off of wait lists and back to learning. Your gift will give parents like my mom the opportunity to choose an education that is best for their child. And with this $2 to $1 match, the impact of your Giving Tuesday gift will be even greater.

I found the right support at Mater. My teachers at Mater called on me, hugged me, and asked me “are you okay?” That made all the difference. And that support continues to anchor me so I can reach for my dreams. In my Mater Government teacher, I have a friend; I have a mentor. I have guidance. I can text, call, email, and she writes me back, even to this day.

My public charter school helped me realize my potential. The only way to fix public schools is to allow students to care about their education and allow teachers to care about their students. Through your generosity, the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools creates systematic change, one student at a time. With your help, the Alliance can keep the pressure on lawmakers to support our students, teachers, classrooms, and schools to make sure that all children realize their potential, just like me. Share our vision for a better way to educate that results in a bright future for our children and our country.
I have big plans for my future. Believe it or not, I’ve set a course for myself all the way to the White House! This ambitious course was charted by my public charter school. You can help more kids like me experience excellence in education.
Please, join me and my family in support of public charter schools. Grow your Giving Tuesday gift with this $2 to $1 match, and help take struggling children from languishing to learning. Give your gift of a great education today.

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