
Twice Exceptional School for Emily
Donation protected
GoFundMe is very new to me, particularly on the fundraising side. With that, I am in a very difficult position where I may not have a choice but to fundraise.
I have a daughter named Emily who is Twice Exceptional, which means she is highly gifted and also High Functioning Autistic. Because of her dual needs, finding a school to fit her needs is virtually impossible. She has been mainstreamed in school since kindergarten and has had an awful experience, particularly in the last few years. She has been suspended, teased, bullied and misunderstood, even by her teachers. She always feels like the outsider because no one gets her. She has difficulty picking up on social cues, she has emotional outbursts when frustrated, which is often, she is an extreme perfectionist and she is extremely impulsive. Even with a full-day shadow, getting through a school day is so difficult for her. Her anxiety levels are through the roof as a result. I have sat in the corner year after year trying my best to help her, but the general education school system is ill-equipped to help her, as she requires so much more.
The school district offered us non-public placements for autistic children, but they could not meet her other need, a high-leveled education to cultivate her amazingly bright brain.
Then, we found Bridges Academy, a school for Twice Exceptional students; students just like Emily. The application process was extremely grueling and she needed to be accepted. I felt like we were applying to college! Well, she was accepted! Now, the difficult part...the school costs $45, 000 a year! She is going into the 6th grade, which makes 7 years of this! We do not have that kind of money and because the school is a private school as opposed to a non-public school, it is not contracted with the school district. This means that the district does not need to pay the tuition.
I contacted the best of the best attorney who works with parents with this type of difficulty. She told us that the best that she could possibly do is have the money reimbursed after she has been there for 3 months. This isn't even a guarantee, but a definite possibility. With that, we are still left to pay $12,000 in addition to buying the required iMac Pro and all the needed software. We also need to pay for transportation to and from school. This will add up quickly.
I would do anything for my children (we also have an almost 2 year old little boy). Emily spent the day at Bridges Academy during the application process. She was a completely different child when I picked her up. She was happier than I have ever seen her and so articulate. This school did wonders for her in just one day. Imagine what it could do for her in 7 years?!
I could only do this with your help. I am not one to ever ask for help, especially monetary help, but this is the only school out there that will help my bright, creative daughter. I wish I could win the lottery or find out that I had a rich relative that left us millions of dollars, but alas, this is not a reality. With your help, my daughter could have a chance to have a successful school experience which, in turn, will set her up for life.
Please feel free to give what you are able as well as sharing this with others who may want to help. Thank you so much in advance. As they say, it takes a village.
Much love,
Angela (Emily's mom)
I have a daughter named Emily who is Twice Exceptional, which means she is highly gifted and also High Functioning Autistic. Because of her dual needs, finding a school to fit her needs is virtually impossible. She has been mainstreamed in school since kindergarten and has had an awful experience, particularly in the last few years. She has been suspended, teased, bullied and misunderstood, even by her teachers. She always feels like the outsider because no one gets her. She has difficulty picking up on social cues, she has emotional outbursts when frustrated, which is often, she is an extreme perfectionist and she is extremely impulsive. Even with a full-day shadow, getting through a school day is so difficult for her. Her anxiety levels are through the roof as a result. I have sat in the corner year after year trying my best to help her, but the general education school system is ill-equipped to help her, as she requires so much more.
The school district offered us non-public placements for autistic children, but they could not meet her other need, a high-leveled education to cultivate her amazingly bright brain.
Then, we found Bridges Academy, a school for Twice Exceptional students; students just like Emily. The application process was extremely grueling and she needed to be accepted. I felt like we were applying to college! Well, she was accepted! Now, the difficult part...the school costs $45, 000 a year! She is going into the 6th grade, which makes 7 years of this! We do not have that kind of money and because the school is a private school as opposed to a non-public school, it is not contracted with the school district. This means that the district does not need to pay the tuition.
I contacted the best of the best attorney who works with parents with this type of difficulty. She told us that the best that she could possibly do is have the money reimbursed after she has been there for 3 months. This isn't even a guarantee, but a definite possibility. With that, we are still left to pay $12,000 in addition to buying the required iMac Pro and all the needed software. We also need to pay for transportation to and from school. This will add up quickly.
I would do anything for my children (we also have an almost 2 year old little boy). Emily spent the day at Bridges Academy during the application process. She was a completely different child when I picked her up. She was happier than I have ever seen her and so articulate. This school did wonders for her in just one day. Imagine what it could do for her in 7 years?!
I could only do this with your help. I am not one to ever ask for help, especially monetary help, but this is the only school out there that will help my bright, creative daughter. I wish I could win the lottery or find out that I had a rich relative that left us millions of dollars, but alas, this is not a reality. With your help, my daughter could have a chance to have a successful school experience which, in turn, will set her up for life.
Please feel free to give what you are able as well as sharing this with others who may want to help. Thank you so much in advance. As they say, it takes a village.
Much love,
Angela (Emily's mom)
Fundraising team: Team Emily (3)
Angela Payne
Organizer
Los Angeles, CA
Jackie Harris Lang
Team member
Skyler Payne
Team member