ACE Scholarships Establishes a Legacy of Graduates for Grateful Family

A year ago, no one had a game plan for navigating a global pandemic. But, for Jayce, an ACE scholar since the first grade and a rising senior at Regis Jesuit High School, he had a rather unique model for success to follow—three models, to be exact.

With only two semesters of high school remaining, Jayce knew how to prioritize his studies, focus on graduating, and prepare for college. All because he had the fortune of watching each of his brothers—Jordan, Jarett, and Joshua—do it first.

Now, as a proud member of the 2021 ACE graduating class, Jayce completed what’s become a family tradition—receiving a high school diploma.

“Being the last of four brothers to attend Regis is truly an accomplishment for my family. I now have a unique bond with my brothers. We’re all high school graduates,” says Jayce.

Also, like his brothers before him, once he walked off the graduation stage, he stepped into a future filled with hope and possibility. For the brothers, graduating high school is just the beginning.

With these examples to follow, along with the love and encouragement of his mother, Charlene, Jayce’s ambition for something bigger is well within reach. As a college freshman this coming fall, he intends to study biomedical engineering, where he will once more follow in the footsteps of his brothers, all of whom have successful engineering careers of their own.

Charlene is proud of her boys. Statistically, they beat the odds. “When I watched Jayce walk across the graduation stage, I whispered ‘We did it,’” she says. “All of my kids are through high school, and they each have the opportunity to attend college and achieve more than I was able to. I cannot describe the feeling of accomplishment and relief—I can breathe now.”

She’s also incredibly grateful for the support her family received from ACE. “We crossed the finish line with the help of many people,” says Charlene. “The help I received for some of my kids helped all of my kids. I always tell people that I didn’t do it alone and that my success is ACE’s success.”

With financial assistance in the form of an ACE scholarship, Charlene was able to choose private schools that provided not just a quality education, but offered her family a sense of community as well as an essential support structure she needed as a single parent. ACE Scholarships transformed not only Jayce, but his entire family. “I know that now, they areall going to be okay,” says Charlene.

Jayce describes himself as a life-long learner, attributing this to the quality of instruction he received at Regis Jesuit. “Attending Regis means everything to me because it’s granted me opportunities and introduced me to great people that I would never have met otherwise,” says Jayce. “At Regis, I learned the value of compassion, unity, and community.”

“It’s difficult to speculate where I might be if I didn’t have the access to a school like Regis, but I do know that I would not have nearly as many choices for college and, ultimately, my career,” he added. “I’m really excited now to see what my future holds.”

Students like Jayce epitomize who an ACE scholar is. Parents like Charlene are an inspiration to us all. And, these brothers represent the thousands of kids full of amazing potential and talent who simply need access to a quality education.

Every spring, ACE Scholarships celebrates our graduating seniors as they complete an important chapter in their lives. This year, reaching the finish line, given the distractions and disruptions associated with school closures and remote learning, makes this graduation season even more special. We are incredibly proud of all of our 2021 graduates and hope you share in our pride for everything this group of seniors has accomplished. These stories and these moments are possible because of faithful supporters like you.