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
Florida Tax Credit Scholarship, Beyond the Scholarship, Rising Stars, School Choice, Step Up For Students, Student Spotlights
From Snowed in to Sunny Side: Joseph's journey to self-enrichment
Jun 13, 2025 • By Roger Mooney
Personalized Education Program, Beyond the Scholarship, Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities, Home Education, Homeschool, School Choice, Step Up For Students, Student Spotlights
Chickens, horses and ed choice scholarships combine for an ideal home education setting
Sep 3, 2025 • By Roger Mooney
Student Spotlights, Beyond the Scholarship, Personalized Education Program, Step Up For Students
PEP students flock to Sarasota's Fab Lab, where STEAM learning is fueled by their imagination
Aug 21, 2025 • By Roger Mooney
Family Empowerment Scholarship for Educational Options, Beyond the Scholarship, graduate, School Choice, Step Up For Students, Student Spotlights
With the help of a private school scholarship, Duke is 'ready for the bigger world'
Aug 12, 2025 • By Roger Mooney
Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities, Beyond the Scholarship, Gardiner Scholarships, Step Up For Students, Student Spotlights
Of Funyuns, Skinny Pop, and iced tea: How Jack brought healthy snacks to his school
Aug 7, 2025 • By Roger Mooney
Student Spotlights, Beyond the Scholarship, Family Empowerment Scholarship for Educational Options, Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities, Florida Tax Credit Scholarship, Gardiner Scholarships, School Choice, Step Up For Students
Private school scholarships allowed the Roland family to meet the academic needs of their children
Jul 22, 2025 • By Roger Mooney
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Browse More From The Blog
Family Empowerment Scholarship for Educational Options, graduate, Rising Stars, Step Up For Students, Student Spotlights
Her home life may be chaotic, but Kaylia has Ivy League-potential and big plans for her future
BY ROGER MOONEY MARGATE, Florida – Kaylia Powell’s home life is in a constant state of flux. At times, she has lived apart from her mom and separated from her brothers and sisters. She has lived with friends and, for a few months this year, at the home of a teacher. She has lived with […]
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An education choice scholarship helped JR be all that he can be
BY ROGER MOONEY PLANTATION, Florida – There was no way William “JR” Moreland was taking AP Language and Composition as a junior, or so he thought. He heard it was hard, harder than Honors English, which he aced. “The difference between honors (classes) and AP is completely night and day,” JR said. “You think it’s […]
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Family Empowerment Scholarship for Educational Options, Rising Stars, Step Up For Students, Student Spotlights, Uncategorized
The bus ride to school is long but the opportunity for a Catholic education is well worth the trip
BY ROGER MOONEY PALM COAST – Every school day at 7 a.m., a small bus rolls to a stop in front of the rectory of the Catholic church in Crescent City. Waiting to board are a handful of students, including Jesus Martinez-Cruz and his little brother, Christian. They are headed on a 50-minute ride to […]
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Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities, Gardiner Scholarships, Step Up For Students, Student Spotlights
From a chaos to calm: How an education choice scholarship is changing David's life
BY ROGER MOONEY PINELLAS PARK – David Facey remembers sitting in his Language Arts class last year hoping for salvation. Hoping someone would pull the fire alarm. Drastic, yes, but anything to bring class to an end. The other students were nearly finished with their writing assignment. David had written only three words. His teacher […]
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Of dreams, sacrifices and an education choice scholarship: How one high school grad has her sights set on becoming a doctor
BY ROGER MOONEY MIAMI – Nery Perez-Valdes wanted to become a doctor, but life got in the way. She fled Cuba for Miami with her mom when she was 11 and found herself working at 14 to help pay the bills. Nery would become a single mom and for a long stretch worked two jobs […]
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Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities, School Spotlights, Step Up For Students, Student Spotlights
With nowhere else to turn, Juliet Sanomi started her own school for students on the spectrum
BY ROGER MOONEY PLANTATION, Florida – Joshua Akabosu was nearly hit by a truck when he was 10. He had run from school that day, as he often did. Announced to the class he was going home, then bolted through a door and into the neighboring streets. An aide, whose job was to shadow Joshua […]
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Universal Property & Casualty Insurance Company donates $5 million to Step Up's scholarship program
Step Up For Students announced April 26 a $5 million contribution to the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program from Universal Property & Casualty Insurance Company (UPCIC), helping nearly 630 Florida schoolchildren attend the K-12 school that is best for them. Since 2017, UPCIC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Universal Insurance Holdings, Inc., has generously funded […]
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Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities, Gardiner Scholarships, Step Up For Students, Student Spotlights
A young artist blossoms with the love of her grandparents and the help of an education choice scholarship
BY ROGER MOONEY PLANT CITY – Lilly Bowden flipped through her sketch pad and proudly showed off her work. There’s a fox on one page and a cat on another. A giraffe from the neck up and a mountain range in all its purple majesty. One drawing begins on one side of a page and […]
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Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities, Step Up For Students, Student Spotlights
podcastED: Florida mom expresses gratitude for scholarship that benefits her daughter, contributes to her own success as tutor, advocate
On this episode, reimaginED senior writer Lisa Buie talks with Danyse Streets, a reading specialist who owns and operates Bridging the Reading Gap, a tutoring and special education advocacy company in Fleming Island, Florida, just south of Jacksonville. Her 12-year-old daughter, Kate, receives a Florida Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities, which Streets uses […]
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Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities, Gardiner Scholarships, Hope Scholarship, Student Spotlights
Jaylen's challenge: A mission to prevent bullying while creating Tourette Syndrome awareness
BY ROGER MOONEY LAKELAND – Jaylen Arnold was 8 when he walked into his old elementary school to speak with two dozen or so former classmates, many of whom had recently taunted and physically bullied him. Jaylen was scared. His mother, Robin, walking beside him, was proud. The meeting was Jaylen’s idea. He wanted to […]
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