NEW ORLEANS (press release) – Son of a Saint Scholars, one of only five Student Tuition Organizations (STO) designated by the Louisiana Department of Education to help facilitate the state’s Tuition Donation Credit Program, announced the program has awarded more than $1.75 million to date in scholarship support for more than 350 qualified students attending tuition-based schools throughout Greater New Orleans. Son of a Saint Scholars has continued to steadily grow, positively impacting young boys and girls’ lives and academic careers since its inception in 2019.
As the initiative continues its growth trajectory during each academic year, Son of a Saint Scholars is providing tuition assistance for hundreds of students in more than 30 schools across the Greater New Orleans region. Son of a Saint Scholars’ existing roster of partnering schools includes Holy Cross School, St. Augustine High School, De La Salle High School, Brother Martin High School, Archbishop Rummel High School, St. Martin’s Episcopal School, St. Mary’s Academy, St. Mary’s Dominican High School, St. Katharine Drexel Preparatory School, Archbishop Shaw High School, along with several other tuition-based institutions in the local area.
“Education is the great equalizer, but too many kids in our communities have the odds stacked against them by limited access, or no access, to schools of their choice,” said Son of a Saint Founder and CEO Bivian “Sonny” Lee III. “Thankfully, Son of Saint Scholars is working strategically to help eliminate financial barriers to quality education by awarding scholarships to as many children as possible, including the impactful addition of our region’s historic all-girls institutions.”
As a STO, Son of a Saint Scholars collects and redirects taxpayer donations to provide scholarships to students who meet the program’s income requirements to attend tuition-based private and parochial schools throughout the state. The STO designation has resulted in great impact on Son of a Saint’s mentees along with many more deserving kids across New Orleans and beyond. To date, Son of a Saint Scholars has awarded more than $1.75 million and supported 350 scholarships to attend tuition-based schools. The numbers are still growing year over year.
“Thanks to this designation from the Louisiana Department of Education, the Son of a Saint Scholars program has grown strategically to assist more qualified students than ever before, including both boys and girls,” said Lee. “Our goal remains front and center, to provide our youth with educational opportunities solely through financial support in the form of this tuition assistance initiative. We’re helping to transform our communities and shape the minds of our young people for the better.”
The Tuition Donation Credit Program empowers Louisiana families by eliminating the financial obstructions that prevent deserving children from attending schools that will best prepare them for college and careers. Needless to say, this program has provided Louisiana’s school-aged youth with otherwise unobtainable scholarship opportunities. The number of scholarships Son of a Saint Scholars can award is limited only by the amount of money the STO is able to raise.
Simply put, the Tuition Donation Credit Program enables participants to donate up to the amount of their Louisiana state tax liability and be credited back in full, dollar for dollar. That means 100 percent of donations to this program are credited back to the donor. So, if a STO donor owes the state $10,000 in taxes and chooses to give that amount to Son of a Saint Scholars, they can thereby provide low-income families with tuition assistance at zero cost to the donor.
Son of a Saint Scholars is a golden opportunity to make real, lasting, positive change for kids throughout Greater New Orleans. Visit sonofasaint.org/scholars for more information and answers to frequently asked questions. Contact scholars@sonofasaint.org to discuss the program and learn how to get involved.
