IST Scholarship Recipients

Here are stories of real IST students who have benefited directly from the Tax Credit Scholarship programme.

A = A's mother was left almost penniless after divorce from A's father, and she has returned to college to prepare herself for a new career. As a student taking student loans, A's mother did not want her intelligent and easily-distracted son to lose interest in school and to become under-achievers like his cousins. Thanks to the Tax Credit Scholarship, A has remained at IST. His mother graduates in one-and-a-half years and anticipates then paying full Tuition and also making donations herself to IST so that other children can have the same opportunity as her son.

B = B's father owned a ten year-old electronics supply and servicing business with seven employees. He of course had to pay his suppliers to receive products for re-sale, but after his customers stopped paying him he was forced to close his doors. He is now launching two online businesses and is already covering his expenses and expects in a year or so to be generating almost as much revenue as formerly. B's mother and grandparents on both sides are Spanish-speakers and it is important to the family that she learns and is fluent in the language, both for family reasons and for future educational and employment opportunities. The Tax Credit Scholarship has allowed B to remain at IST, learning Spanish, while her father rebuilds his life and creates a new locally-based business.

C and D = C and D's mother is in college preparing herself for a professional career. Their father is a commercial broker who did well until this year, but has not completed a deal for seven months and so has not received a pay-cheque. Thanks to the Tax Credit Scholarship, C and D stayed at IST and did not have to attend the local school which, compared to Arizona standards, is underperforming and has drug and other social issues. Dad's business will turn around; Mon will graduate and in a few short years will be earning a good salary. Not only will they again pay full Tuition, they will also be in a position to donate and to help other children have the opportunities that theirs have had.

E = E is an unusual child who was horribly bullied at his former public school, and then again at a religious private school. IST is safe for E and it is the first time he has had friends and sleepover invitations. E's father believes his son would be emotionally and psychologically harmed if he were to leave IST, however E's father lost his job when the restaurant he managed closed. He immediately found another job, but at a significantly lower salary and the Tax Credit Scholarship allowed E to remain at IST while his father sought a new position. He now has one, and is paying full tuition fees again.