Scholarship program
is the answer to their prayers

By Tom Waring
Times Staff Writer

The Doherty and Geissler families are grateful for the Educational Improvement Tax Credit scholarship program.
Both families send their children to St. Cecilia Elementary School in Fox Chase and struggle to make tuition payments.
"I was living on credit cards. The scholarship makes it a lot easier to pay tuition," said Joann Doherty, who has three children at St. Cecilia and two in Catholic high school.
In all, 43 students at St. Cecilia are receiving EITC scholarship money.
Donald and Mary Margaret Geissler had sent their children, sixth-grader Brianna and fifth-grader Donald, to Fox Chase School, but believe St. Cecilia provides a more structured environment and an emphasis on manners.
"We’re Catholic, and this school affords them a better education religiously," Mrs. Geissler said. "Financially, it’s hard, but this scholarship helps us."
Doherty and the Geisslers were on hand last week at St. Cecilia as the Bridge Educational Foundation and Enterprise Rent-A-Car announced the donation of $97,500 in scholarships to income-eligible local families.
The families benefiting send their children to Archbishop Ryan and Little Flower high schools; St. Cecilia, St. Matthew, Resurrection of Our Lord, St. Christopher and St. Martin of Tours elementary schools; and Redeemer Lutheran School.
The educators were grateful for the support.
"We need it," said Sister Kathleen Touey, principal at St. Matthew, which has 63 families that qualified for the scholarship program. "It really helps our parents keep their children in their school."
Sandy Ault, business manager at Redeemer Lutheran, said the EITC enables parents to send their children to schools that offer character and faith-building education.
Twenty-three students at the small school on Ryan Avenue are receiving tuition assistance.
"We’re very, very grateful," Ault said.
"Times are tough in Mayfair. People are hurting. We have to help everyone we can. Our parents couldn’t do it without this money."
The school administrators were joined by state Reps. John Perzel (R-172nd dist.), George Kenney (R-170th dist.), John Taylor (R-177th dist.) and Tony Payton (D-179th dist.), along with state Sen. Tina Tartaglione (D-2nd dist.).
Perzel said the EITC is needed because of the skyrocketing cost of tuition.
Tartaglione recalled attending St. Martin’s in the 1970s when there were six crowded classrooms in each grade. Today, there are only two. Other schools, she noted, have closed due to low enrollment.
Kenney, a St. Christopher graduate, reminded the St. Cecilia students in attendance that their parents are making a financial sacrifice to send them to the school.
"Thank your parents when you get home," he said.
Taylor believes economics should not be an obstacle to Catholic education. The veteran lawmaker explained that the EITC was formed when legislators could not pass a vouchers bill. That’s when Perzel went to Plan B, the EITC.
"It’s not a voucher program, but it’s the next-best thing we could come up with," Taylor said.
The Harrisburg-based Bridge Educational Foundation is a non-profit scholarship organization established under the EITC. It partners families and schools with Pennsylvania businesses to provide scholarship opportunities throughout Pennsylvania. So far, it’s raised more than $4 million.
Businesses receive tax credits for the money they donate to scholarship organizations such as Bridge Educational Foundation.
"We really see ourselves as the bridge between this public-private partnership and families," said Bridge board member Joe Gerdes.
Bobby Keyes, general manager of Enterprise’s southeastern Pennsylvania operations, presented an oversized check for $97,500 to "Families of Northeast Philadelphia."
Keyes grew up in a rowhome as one of five children. He attended St. Matthew and Father Judge High School.
"My mom and dad made sure we went to a good school," he said.
The EITC can be successful only with the support of companies such as the one Keyes works for.
"As long as the EITC is in existence, you can count on Enterprise Rent-A-Car being part of it," he said. ••
Reporter Tom Waring can be reached at 215-354-3034 or twaring@phillynews.com