Montell G.

Montell Gaji lives in Chicago, Illinois with her three children. “My middle child, Kindle, was able to attend St. Thomas the Apostle school last year on a tax credit scholarship,” she says. “Mr. Gallo, the former principal, helped me through the whole application process. I was paying fifty percent tuition, which was doable and well worth the money, but he called me in December and said he was able to offer us a full scholarship. It was a huge blessing. Without these scholarships, I would not be able to afford private school tuition for my son.” 

As a cancer survivor and the mother of two Autistic children, Montell is a seasoned advocate. That is why when she heard about Governor’s proposed cuts to the Tax Credit Scholarship Program, she sprang into action. “I wrote to my legislator and have been sharing information on Facebook about the repercussions of cutting this program. Without it, bright stars like Kindle will not be able to access the education they are best suited for. I was an Illinois student who was able to attend private grammar and high school on scholarships, and I think my education gave me the best chance to succeed. Here I am years later with both a Bachelors and an Associates degree. I support public schools, and they work for some students, but education cannot be one size fits all.”