Baileigh Lavery

Baileigh Lavery lost her father in 2019. Later, she and her twin sister were dealing with bullying so severe her mother transferred them midyear. Baileigh enrolled at Trinity Christian with the help of a donor and Illinois’ Invest in Kids scholarship. She’s on a waitlist for another of the low-income scholarships but Invest in Kids ends this year unless state lawmakers act soon.

“At public school, I didn’t realize how much I was struggling. Just walking in the doors at Trinity Christian, you could feel the difference. For the first time I felt the love people have for me.”

“I found myself there. My teachers helped me find my true purpose and my value. It gave me a different perspective on the difficulties life throws at us.”

“I found friends that would constantly uplift me, and suddenly I always had a smile on my face.”

“When we got the notification that we would receive the scholarship my eighth-grade year, that was a true blessing. It took a lot off our shoulders. Just so much to be thankful for.”

“I think taking away this scholarship would take away the chance for other people to experience that. To think that some families might never be able to find a school where they can experience love and happiness, it just hurts.”

“I don’t want lawmakers to look at this easily. I want them to put some hard time into thinking about how this will affect other peoples’ lives. Especially the kids that are struggling with money.”

“Words cannot even begin to express how much these scholarships can truly mean to someone. I want lawmakers to give other kids opportunities to feel the change I felt.”

Baileigh Lavery
Freshman, Yorkville Christian High School
Plainfield, Illinois