Ed Hendricks

“I’m the sole provider for my three children – Brandon, Eddie and Gregory. Four years ago, we purchased a home in Belleville, Illinois, and moved there.”

“I had already made the decision to send two of my boys, Eddie and Gregory, to St. Teresa’s Catholic grade school in Belleville, thanks to Empower Illinois and the state scholarship program.”

“St. Teresa’s mission is to foster lives of faith, lifelong learners and compassionate leaders. Eddie is now in eighth grade, and Gregory is in sixth grade.”

“My children were struggling before St. Teresa. They were in a public school in a much bigger population of students and less accountability. They had the wrong kind of friends.”

“There are so many good things that have come from going to St. Teresa. They have been baptized and have some of the best friends anyone could ever ask for. St. Teresa School has given my boys the opportunity to learn about Catholicism. We have also become very good friends with the director of religious education at St Teresa’s, and this has given all of us the ability to learn much more about the Catholic faith.”

“It is very important to me that my children know God. In today’s society, God has been taken out of the equation. My opinion is that all people should have a God of their understanding that they believe in.”

“They are excelling academically. They have been challenged academically by the St. Teresa curriculum and have been successful at taking on the challenge. I think both boys have excelled in math in particular.”

“The teachers at St. Teresa’s have been outstanding in reaching out individually and helping if the boys are having problems. The teachers have been instrumental in keeping these boys in line and on track.”

“With smaller classrooms, the teachers are able to give more individual time to each student. This is teaching these students many quality traits that may be passed by in other educational settings.”

“St. Teresa’s sports have been outstanding. Gregory and Eddie have learned how to play volleyball, soccer and have learned numerous skills pertaining to teamwork. They have become much better team players due to the excellent coaching offered at St. Teresa.”

“Empower Illinois has allowed me to keep my boys in the private school. This has been one of the best decisions I have made in my life for our family.”

“St. Teresa has turned my children’s lives around.”

Ed Hendricks
Maintenance worker
Belleville, Illinois