Charter Schools Making A Difference

In 1994, I moved to Arizona and was just entering 6th grade. I spent the first year of my Arizona education in a neighborhood school where I was in a class that held 38 students. It was a disastrous year for me; I couldn’t adjust to the large class sizes. At the end of my last year of elementary school, I was supposed to be ready for the 7th grade in a huge middle school but my mom knew otherwise. She knew that wasn’t in my best interest, so my parents enrolled me in a private school for a short time. That became pretty expensive and was quite a distance from my home.

I remember my mom and dad talking about this “new thing” called charter schools. After researching about these unique schools at the Arizona Department of Education, my mother convinced my father that a charter school might be the best thing for me. In 1995, when the Arizona State Board for Charter Schools sponsored the first charter school in Arizona, my parents and I visited a school called Carmel Academy, the charter operator is Jacci Hall. I immediately knew she was a wonderful caring person to be around and would make my transition an easy one. It was a great experience for me and I learned a lot about the arts that will be carried with me for a lifetime.

When I started 7th grade, I transferred to another charter school. I began attending the Academy with Community Partners. Mrs. Willamson and her staff treat all of their students as if they were the only ones. We all got individual guidance and attention. I was able to work at my own pace and graduated on time in 2001.

I had the experience of attending two charters schools and, while they were very different, both were rewarding experiences. I have some learning difficulties and I believe that I was falling through the cracks in the traditional district school. When I entered the charter schools, I truly felt as if I was being nurtured and encouraged to expand my own talents. I never felt pressured and always had the teachers urging me to stretch my limits. When I reached my goals, the teachers and staff were there cheering me on.

My parents both work in the charter school field and through them I have visited many charter schools and gone to some conferences. I am always proud of my association with charter schools because I recognize that the people who are involved in this field are the “dreamers” that made a kid like me reach a potential that many never thought possible.

-- by Alea Condos
Today Alea is enrolled in a vocational program on computer and light office training. She will complete this training and get a job in a clerical position. Up until recently she was in a class called Choices, wherein they did community volunteerism, and had a community garden.