'Changed all of our lives': Foundation provides $465K for Western Pa. students

As a single mother, Johnetta Higgins said she couldn’t afford to send her three kids to private school without help.

She had started her children — James Cross, 13, Janiyah Cross, 10, and Jamel Cross, 7 — in public schools, but said they were “having a hard time” and weren’t happy in that setting.

“Once my oldest hit middle school and you have the things that happen in the world these days — the drugs, the violence, the cussing — it was culture shock,” she said, explaining that she wanted her children to have a different type of environment, one that would share the Christian values she found so important for her family.

Higgins, of Donora, had attended Cornerstone Prep Wilson Campus in West Mifflin and now sends her children there, too. This is the second year her children have attended the school, which she said has made them much happier.

She said she couldn’t do it without scholarship funding.

Higgins’ kids were among hundreds of children who this week received a total of $465,000 from Bridge Educational Foundation and its donor, U.S. Steel.

“It’s like the scholarship literally changed all of our lives,” Higgins said. “It makes it affordable.”

As a single mother working a full-time job, she said, “it’s enough affording the regular expenses, let alone a private school.”

But, though the scholarship doesn’t cover all of the tuition costs, help from the nonprofit scholarship organization makes it possible to send her kids to a school that they like, she said.

Harrisburg-based Bridge Educational Foundation was established under Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit program and works to partner families and schools with local businesses to provide scholarship opportunities. It has raised $46 million to provide educational opportunities for low-income families across the commonwealth.

“Scholarships awarded through the Bridge Foundation and Pennsylvania’s Education Improvement Tax Credit Program make it possible for Mon Valley families to choose the education option that is right for their child,” said Scott Buckiso, U.S. Steel’s senior vice president and chief manufacturing officer.

Andelyn Birch, who teaches second grade at Cornerstone Prep, said the scholarship helps offset the costly bill of sending her five children to the private school.

Her children went to public school until three years ago, when Birch said she decided to send her children somewhere they could learn about their faith and study in the some building despite their age differences.

Her kids — Isaac, 15, Elias, 14, Levi, 12, Lillian, 7, and Oliver, 6, — can now greet each other in the halls and talk with her and each other as they all drive to and from school together from their home in Wyano.

Birch’s youngest, Oliver, was diagnosed with a genetic disorder that likely will not allow him to live into adulthood. She said that was what really motivated her to move her children into private school, as “we thought about how much precious time is spent at school” and wanted to ensure that time was spent in a supportive environment where her children would see each other throughout the day.

“The opportunity to have all them under one roof was a blessing,” she said, adding that all of her children have made good friends at the school. They’ve joined sports, like golf and track, Isaac has joined a robotics club and Elias has spoken at their chapel.

Birch said all of her children received scholarships.

“We literally could not be there without the help of that scholarship money,” she said.

U.S. Steel and Bridge Educational Foundation this week announced scholarships for students at Cornerstone Prep Wilson Campus, Divine Mercy Academy, Holy Family Catholic School, Mary of Nazareth Catholic School, Serra Catholic High School, St. Theresa of Lisieux School, The Campus Laboratory School of Carlow University, Central Catholic High School, Pittsburgh Urban Christian School, Redeemer Lutheran School, Sacred Heath Elementary School, Sr. Thea Bowman Catholic Academy, St. Bede School, St. Benedict the Moor School, St. Edmunds Academy, Trinity Christian School, Waldorf School of Pittsburgh and Walnut Grove Christian School.