Our Purpose

In education, as in other walks of life, the traditional paths are the ones most traveled. In school, for example, the majority of students “travel” from kindergarten through grade 12 in general education, graduate and go on to college or directly into the workforce. But there is another road, one less traveled. Along that road you will find students who, by choice or circumstance, are in alternative programs. Students like Mike, whose love of cooking came from his grandmother. He excelled in the culinary arts program in high school and the “Make All the Difference” scholarship was there to help him pursue his education which led to work in high end restaurants and resorts and then to his own successful catering business. Or Lisa, who broke gender stereotypes by learning machining in a career and technical education program. Or Heng, a refugee from Cambodia who earned her GED and went on to get an associate’s degree in accounting. Or Kathy, who was at risk for dropping out of school, took the road less traveled, maintained perfect attendance and an A average, and then went on to college. Traditional funding programs do not provide support to find new and better ways to help students like Mike, Lisa, Heng and Kathy. And they do not provide help for these students to continue their education. So even though the number of students in alternative programs keeps growing, our ability to help them is not keeping pace.

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You can also choose the road less traveled by becoming a Friend of the Foundation. Make all the difference in the lives of these students with your tax deductible donation to the Monroe 2–Orleans Educational Foundation.