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 Michelle Mercado has four children. Her daughters are Sheliane and Shailene. Her sons are Christian and Argenis.
Thanks to the Cleveland Scholarship and Tutoring Program, they are able to attend school in their neighborhood at St. Rocco’s Catholic Elementary School.
Michelle shares the story of her family’s struggle for quality educational options:
"In public school there were a lot of problems. I would go during lunchtime and there was no order. It was so wild. Sometimes the kids would tell me what was going on in the classroom and I just knew they weren’t getting a good education."
"My children were always telling me they were afraid to go to school because kids would be picking on them."
"We are poor. But we are not bad people."
"I’m a divorced, single mother and I thought I would never get my kids in private school. But then I learned about the voucher program and was able to enroll them in St. Roccos."
"Argenis had problems in English and math when he was in public school. Now he is doing better. I can see the difference. He doesn’t complain and he is doing better."
"In the private school, my children’s habits have changed. They know it’s very strict and they have to follow the rules, they have to be polite. They have to be quiet. They know they have to do their homework."
"From now until they grow up, they are learning rules: I have to study, I have to do things in order. This is the way it is in life. If they keep those habits in the future, they can do more. If they grow up like that, they can do something positive."
"Education is very important for their future. If they don’t study now, they will not have a future. I hope in the future, they will have a career. I hope they will at least study something after high school. I don’t want to see them in a factory, hating their job."
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