inspirED
Meet our scholars, educators, donors and partners.
Transforming Our Community.
One Scholarship at a Time.
Step Up For Students Scholarships do more than fund education. They change lives. Students thrive in environments that fit their needs. Educators extend their reach to support vulnerable students. Communities grow stronger as educational systems improve.
This is inspireEd. Welcome.
Here, you will get an inside view of that transformation in progress. See what happens when students and their families discover the power of taking control over their academics. Watch as they forge new pathways to a better future. Find inspiration in their determination to achieve their dreams.
These are the stories of Florida students who have renewed hope because they have a school that better fits their needs or educational materials to unlock their potential. They are the stories of a community that has come together to support the belief that educational choice matters. Here, you can be a part of this incredible journey.
This is inspireEd. Welcome.
Here, you will get an inside view of that transformation in progress. See what happens when students and their families discover the power of taking control over their academics. Watch as they forge new pathways to a better future. Find inspiration in their determination to achieve their dreams.
These are the stories of Florida students who have renewed hope because they have a school that better fits their needs or educational materials to unlock their potential. They are the stories of a community that has come together to support the belief that educational choice matters. Here, you can be a part of this incredible journey.
Latest Posts
Personalized Education Program, Family Empowerment Scholarship for Educational Options, School Choice, Step Up For Students, Student Spotlights
Yaya's got this, thanks to the help of a PEP scholarship
Feb 27, 2025 • By Roger Mooney
Donor Corner, Beyond the Scholarship, Florida Tax Credit Scholarship, Scholarship News, Step Up For Students
BB Americas Bank donates $1 million to help Florida schoolchildren
May 6, 2025 • By Ashley Zarle
Florida Tax Credit Scholarship, Beyond the Scholarship, Rising Stars, School Choice, Step Up For Students, Student Spotlights
The sky is the limit: How an ed choice scholarship turned Aaliyah into a straight-A student
Apr 22, 2025 • By Roger Mooney
Donor Corner, Beyond the Scholarship, Florida Tax Credit Scholarship, Scholarship News, Step Up For Students
Olympus Insurance Donates More Than $3 Million To Help Provide Scholarships For Florida Schoolchildren
Apr 10, 2025 • By Ashley Zarle
Student Spotlights, Beyond the Scholarship, Family Empowerment Scholarship for Educational Options, Step Up For Students
Taking advantage of her opportunities, Zori reaches Step 1 of her life plan – an Ivy League scholarship
Apr 7, 2025 • By Roger Mooney
Family Empowerment Scholarship for Educational Options, Beyond the Scholarship, Step Up For Students, Student Spotlights
A new school and its challenging environment started Owen on his journey to the Naval Academy
Apr 3, 2025 • By Roger Mooney
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Our dedication to students doesn’t end when they receive a scholarship. Your support will enable Step Up to maximize the impact of the scholarships the students receive.
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Browse More From The Blog
Two families, football and education choice helps Junior realize his dreams of a college scholarship
TAMPA, Florida – Jessie “Junior” Vandeross considers himself “blessed” because: His father died when he was 3. He has a heart murmur that was detected when he was in the seventh grade and threatened to end his athletic career. The grim memories of the day his father passed away surfaced when Junior was in the […]
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Catholic high school returns to Key West. Scholarships help make it possible
For the first time in nearly 40 years, Catholic high school education will return to Key West. The Basilica School of St. Mary Star of the Sea, which currently educates students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade, this week announced plans to add grades 9 and 10 in August 2023. The Basilica High School will be […]
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Sisters make education choice scholarships a family affair
It has been nearly a decade since Jasmine and Emily Rojas graduated Abundant Life Christian Academy as eighth graders, yet in a sense, they never left. The sisters still email or visit their former teachers and volunteer for school activities. When Jasmine needed a letter of recommendation for dental school, she turned to Abundant Life […]
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Sen. Rubio praises Step Up scholarships for providing life-changing opportunities
U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Florida) recently joined the Brookings Institute to discuss his role in the Commission on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys, which exists within the U.S Commission on Civil Rights’ Office of the Staff Director. The bipartisan, 19-member Commission, comprised of congressional lawmakers, executive branch appointees, issue experts, activists, and other stakeholders, examines […]
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Beyond the Scholarship, Donor Corner, Florida Tax Credit Scholarship, School Choice, Step Up For Students, Student Spotlights
Cadence Bank provides education opportunities for more than 100 students with donation to Step Up
Cadence Bank (NYSE: CADE), formerly BancorpSouth Bank, today announced a $800,000 contribution to Step Up For Students to support disadvantaged youth in Florida. The contribution will be used to provide educational opportunities to more than 100 students through K-12 scholarships and underscores Cadence’s commitment to supporting programs and initiatives that help its communities thrive. Since […]
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Education choice scholarship helps Ny'Reon create blueprint for his future
Ny’Reon Shuman has a blueprint for his future. The 17-year-old has designs on being an architect. He wants to own an architectural firm, one with offices around the world. He wants to design a big house for his grandmother, Katherine Shuman, who adopted him when he was an infant. He calls her “Mom.” “She’s made […]
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Dreams of owning a home, quality schools for the boys come true thanks to education choice scholarship
ORLANDO, Florida – Juliette Harrell was 17 when she told her mom she was pregnant. She was promptly kicked out of her house. A single mother herself, Juliette’s mom painted a bitter picture of Juliette’s new world. “My mom told me my life was over. You got to take care of your kids. You can’t […]
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20 years of Educational Opportunity, Beyond the Scholarship, Florida Tax Credit Scholarship, Step Up For Students, Student Spotlights
Step Up For Students ranked 13th in Forbes list of 100 top American charities
Step Up For Students continues to rise among the top nonprofits in the country, breaking into the top-15 of Forbes’ list of America’s Top 100 Charities 2021. Step Up is ranked 13th, the highest ranking for among education charities. “Step Up For Students is proudly celebrating its 20th anniversary of providing scholarships to underprivileged children, […]
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LiFT Academy receives boost from Tampa Bay Lightning as it prepares to move to new campus
High above the ice at Amalie Arena during a recent Tampa Bay Lightning hockey game stood Keli Mondello and Kim Kuruzovich, the founders of Learning Independence for Tomorrow (LiFT), and Holly Andrade, a founding teacher. They were bathed in the spotlight while the fans cheered, and the players on the ice below paid tribute with […]
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20 years of Educational Opportunity, Florida Tax Credit Scholarship, School Choice, Step Up For Students, Student Spotlights
20 years of Educational Opportunity: Once a beneficiary of education choice, Ashley is now an advocate
The first time Ashley Elliott realized her story could make a difference was when she found herself in Washington, D.C., moving from the office of Rep. Stephanie Murphy (D-Orlando) to Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Florida) to talk about the importance of education choice. It works, Ashley said. You’re looking at proof. It was a Florida Tax […]
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