This YouTube video (One Million Scholarships, One Million Reasons to Celebrate 2020) is a celebratory montage marking Step Up for Students awarding its one millionth scholarship. Prominent Florida education leaders (John Kirtley, Jeb Bush, Chris Sprouse, Governor Ron DeSantis, Andrew Campanella, Doug Tuthill) praise scholarship programs (including the corporate tax credit scholarship and the Family Empowerment Scholarship) and emphasize parental choice, equity, and expanded opportunities. The video intersperses leader remarks with multiple student and family testimonials describing life changes, gratitude, and specific schools attended.
Chapters
Thank you. Step up for my scholarship, because thanks.
To you, I'm learning many things.
The world of public education is changing fast and for the better. And what more powerful sign of that positive change could there be than this incredible milestone, the awarding of our one millionth scholarship. In the late 1990s, I started an organization in Tampa to raise private funds for scholarships for low income students. We raised enough money for 750 scholarships, which sounds good, right? But with virtually no publicity, we got 12,500 applications. The message hit me like a ton of bricks. Low income parents wanted options for their kids. They wanted them desperately, and there was no good reason to deny them. Since then, Florida has created one scholarship program after another to give parents options, particularly parents whose children are disadvantaged by poverty or by disability.
Over the past 20 years, Florida's education system has gone from one of the worst in America to one of the best. That didn't happen by accident. We rolled out one bold reform after another. And none bolder than giving parents the power of choice. When we have an education system that truly serves every child, no matter their zip code, no matter their special need, then we've arrived. We're not there yet, but thanks to you, we've moved 1 million amazing steps closer with these Step up for students and charter schools and all of this. This gives the parents freedom to send their children where they feel they will get the best education.
Hi, I'm Chris Sprouse. Everyone knows that getting a great education is the key to success. But for far too long here in Florida, too many kids and their families were falling through the cracks and not getting the education that they deserved. Tragic doesn't begin to cover it. But that's ending here in Florida. And one of the main reasons that it has is because of the creation of the corporate Tax credit scholarship. This week, we celebrate the awarding of the 1 million scholarship. That means tens of thousands of children and their families have benefited from the scholarship to attend the school of their choice. They're finding education success. They're finding pathways to prosperity. We congratulate the corporate Tax credit scholarship program, the thousands of teachers, families and students who made it all possible. Congratulations.
Hi, I'm Governor Ron DeSantis. It's my pleasure to join you to celebrate the 1 million scholarship funded by Step up for Students. Florida has become a national leader in education because it recognizes a fundamental truth. Parents know their children the best, and when given the power, they find the best educational fit for their children. That is why I've championed the Family Empowerment Scholarship, the newest Addition to our education choice options in Florida. Between the Family Empowerment Scholarship and the other School choice scholarships in Florida, we've now reached the 1 million scholarship mark. Because of the scholarships, our students have been able to achieve so much inside and outside the classroom. And I could not be more proud of their success. Here in Florida, we will not stop working until every student has the opportunity to succeed, regardless of zip code, family, circumstance or background. Thank you and God bless you all.
Hey there, it's Andrew from School Choice Week. And today I want to congratulate Step up for Students for awarding its one millionth session scholarship. One million scholarships. That is absolutely incredible. And it's incredible because each of those scholarships represents a life changed for the better. Step up for Students inspires families that no matter how much money you make or where you live or how tough things are right now, your child's dreams can become reality. You've also inspired other sectors of education here in Florida to innovate, to improve, to create more options, opportunities. And you've served as a model for our entire country. So to the staff, the board, and all of the donors of Step up for Students today, I say not only congratulations, but truly thank you.
Every child matters, and that's why these scholarships matters. A school that works for one child may not necessarily work for another. We've seen this over and over and over again, right? Parents need options so they can find what works best for their child, so their child can find success, so their child can be everything we know they can be. I've seen the difference these scholarships have made in my community and they're extremely life changing. Think about it. One million scholarships, That's a lot of lives that have been changed. Thanks to all that have given towards these families.
These scholarships have made our state a better place. They've empowered parents, they've changed lives, and they've shown the rest of the country what's possible. When you redefine public education, when you put more emphasis on parents and choice and on equity and opportunity, it's impossible to thank all the people who made this happen. But I am grateful to all of you and so are the thousands and thousands of families all over the state.
My Step up scholarship changed my life. Without you guys, I couldn't do more. Thank you guys. Have a good day and be safe.
Thank you.
Step up for my computer and my scholarship. It helped me learn a lot and changed my life.
When I have this scholarship from Step up, oh my God. I changed the school right away and I put it in paedia Classical Academy. What is the best choice? I like the school and my kids are satisfied about it. Oh, I cannot complain so far. They've been there since last year and they enjoy it. They rather go to school instead of staying home. Online schooling.
Thank you.
Thank you so much.
For the first day that I know that I approved. I was so excited, I'm crying. All I can say is thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you so very much. This is a big help. My name is Hudson Adams Farley. I'm in the 10th grade. I've been getting this scholarship for four years. It changed my life because I'm on the spectrum and I really need it because I wouldn't be going. I could not make it in public school and I am so grateful to be getting it. Hi, my name is Isabella Leon and I've been attending Boca Raton Christian School since kindergarten due to the Step up for student Scholarships program. Due to the scholarships, my brothers and I have been able to been able to afford a Christian college preparatory school that we would never be allowed to even fathom going to. And I'm also allowed to apply to different universities and colleges that I never, ever would be allowed to afford.
Yes.
We love Step up for Students.
Thank you.
Hi, I'm Skylah Meyer and I am so grateful for my Step up for student scholarship. With this scholarship, I got into St. John's and I love the school. The teachers are great. They have great activities you can do after school. It's really fun, you know, and I'm really thankful for the scholarship.
Thank you.
We were excited when we found out we were awarded for Step up for students. It has been a great big help. Maritza, do you like your school?
Yes, I love my teachers too.
Awesome.
Thank you.
Step up for students. We love you. When we found out that our son was going to be awarded the Step up for student scholarship, we were overjoyed. It was a huge weight lifted off of our shoulders knowing that we were going to be able to provide our son with a quality education from the comforts of our home when he was at his sickest. We will be forever grateful for Step up and the opportunities that is provided to our son.
Every child is unique and every child deserves an equal opportunity to realize their full potential. But in order to allow them to have their full potential realized, we need a public education system that's flexible enough that allows families to customize the education for each child. And that's the purpose of our scholarships, to empower families and give them the resources they need to make sure they can provide that unique customized education for each child. We've been able to provide scholarships for hundreds of thousands of years. Children is an amazing accomplishment. We should pause and reflect on that and feel good about it. We also need to know that the best is yet to come.
