From the Heart of an Alumna
By DeLean Brandon - FF/S
In 2010, the Darlington Community provided more than 35 scholarships to eligible Darlington students by redirecting their Georgia tax dollars to the Georgia GOAL Scholarship Program. Thanks to this generous support, we are able to continue offering GOAL Scholarship assistance to deserving students, such as pre-K student Mary Blair Fuller.
Mary Blair’s mother, who is also a Darlington alumna, had this to say:
“The things I learned at Darlington helped me achieve success wherever I was – from working on Capitol Hill to teaching fourth grade in Rome, Ga., Darlington is what got me there. There is no better place to prepare a child for life and I wanted my daughter to have the same experience. The Georgia GOAL Scholarship Program made that a reality.
“Mary Blair has had an incredible year in pre-K. In nine short months, I have seen her grow emotionally, academically and physically. She wants to go to school every morning and she even wishes she went on Saturdays. She begs to stay until 3 p.m. and even go to Extended Day. I can tell that this love for school will last forever because of her year at Darlington. She floors me with the curriculum that she is mastering.
As a parent, I want the best for my child and I believe she is getting that at Darlington. I could not have sent my daughter here last year without the help of the Georgia GOAL Scholarship, and I will be forever grateful for this wonderful opportunity.” - Mary Kate (Vick) Fuller (’84)
If you haven’t already heard about the Georgia GOAL Scholarship Program, it works like this. Georgia residents or anyone who pays state taxes in Georgia can redirect their Georgia tax dollars to help fund tuition assistance for new students entering a participating independent school. This also qualifies you for a charitable tax deduction on your federal tax return and generates a tax credit on your Georgia tax return. It’s a win-win!
To redirect your tax dollars for the benefit of students like Mary Blair in 2011, we recommend that you act now. The program’s $50 million cap was nearly met in 2010, and is expected to be reached early this year. It is possible that thousands of taxpayers who attempt to participate late in the year will be excluded from the opportunity in 2011.
If you have any questions or would like to participate, please feel free to call or email me. Thank you in advance for your gift of opportunity for future Darlington students like Mary Blair.
