I am so very honored and extremely appreciative of being chosen to receive the ACE Charitable Foundation grant for the 2013-2014 school year.

This grant will be an enormous help and relief with my college financial expenses. As my college education progresses so does my financial obligations. As a dual major in Early Grades and Special Education I am required to go into the schools and observe students of different grade levels. This requires me to travel to different schools in the county and sometimes the schools are not close to the university. Since I am getting closer to graduation my professors are getting us ready for our own classrooms, so this requires us to buy a lot of our own books to build our classroom libraries and supplies to do hands-on activities with our future students.

My father suffered a traumatic brain injury 6 1/2 years ago, while at work, which has left him incapacitated and living in a nursing home. It has been very difficult and emotional for us, but as a family we have managed. My dad was the main financial provider and so the loss of his work income has greatly impacted my family. This is especially so when it comes to our college education because that was my father’s main goal in life…to get his 2 daughters through college. My sister graduated from Temple 2 years ago. I will be expecting to graduate in the Spring of 2015.

The ACE Charitable Foundation grant is allowing me to focus on my studies and experience college life feeling less burdened about my college finances.

This is my third year at West Chester University. I am involved with the club Council for Exceptional Children (CEC). We do many activities with children who have special needs. I’ve participated in the many game nights that we hold, blanket making and a Buddy Walk held in early November. I am also involved with Habitat for Humanity. In this club we do many different things to help the community such as cleaning the streets of West Chester, and building homes for families in need. I hope as time continues I will have more opportunities to get more involved with West Chester University as well as the community.

My family and I send our greatest appreciation.