A Mother's Sacrifice for Connor's Education

Update: Move-In Day Is Almost Here ❤️

Hi everyone,

Monday is the big day — Connor moves into her dorm at Hanover! Our house is complete chaos right now — her dorm supplies have taken over the living room, she’s a bundle of nerves, and I’m an emotional wreck. It's real now.

We are so proud of her and determined to make this happen, but we’re still several thousand dollars short of our goal — what we need to finish covering her room and board.

As some of you may remember, Connor has to give back over $4,000 in scholarship money she earned because Hanover doesn’t allow need-based aid to be applied to housing. That’s been incredibly discouraging, and we’ve also had some unexpected setbacks this summer — most notably, our 300k-mile car finally died (with no AC during the hottest summer yet).

Despite it all, we’re doing everything we can to get her settled and started strong. If you’re able to contribute or share, please know you’d be helping a hardworking, kind, and truly deserving young woman take the next step in her education.

Thank you for reading, for caring, and for standing with us. We’re so close. Let’s get her across the finish line.

With gratitude,

Kathy

TL;DR – Help Connor Get to College

Hi friends—I'm including a short version first because I know we’re all busy—and because even if you don’t have time to read our whole story, your support still means the world to us.

My daughter Connor, whom we have just learned is valedictorian of her Waggener High School Class of 2025, has worked incredibly hard and earned more than enough scholarships to cover her full tuition at Hanover College. She’s passionate about social justice and dreams of becoming a lawyer. BUT: the college does not allow need-based financial aid—like scholarships and grants—to be applied to housing and meals. So, even though she’s earned $4,000 more in aid than tuition costs, we can’t use it to cover room and board. We actually have to give that money back, which is infuriating.

That leaves us $9,000 short for her freshman year. I’m a single mom, a teacher, and about to finish my second master’s degree. My rent takes up over half my income, and I'm already stretched thin putting another child through college. I’m taking on extra work, and we’ll be holding a multi-family yard sale this summer to help raise money. We’re also looking for donations of cool, gently used items to sell. ️

I've procrastinated sharing our efforts because it's incredibly hard to ask for help. I'm embarrassed and humbled—but I’d run into traffic for my kids, so here I am. ❤️

To everyone who’s already donated: I cannot believe how generous you’ve been. We are stunned at the generosity we've already received. We are just getting started—but already we’re getting closer, and that’s because of you.

If you can contribute, THANK YOU. If you can share the link, THANK YOU. Just for reading and caring, we’re incredibly grateful. If you have other creative fundraising ideas or words of support or congratulations for Connor, please leave a comment! We'd so love to hear from you.

Here's the longer version with more detail:

My name is Kathy, and I’m a full-time high school teacher, a single mom, and a lifelong believer in the power of education. I’ve worked hard my entire life—often more than one job at a time—to support my family. My husband passed away when my kids were only 4 and 2, and for as long as they can remember, it's just been the 3 of us, loving and supporting each other and taking on the world. I’m currently finishing up my second master’s degree while still teaching full-time and raising my kids, one of whom is already at the University of Louisville with the help of scholarships and financial aid.

Now, my daughter Connor is ready to take her next step—and I’m turning to our community for help making it possible.

Connor is nothing short of extraordinary. This month, she will graduate valedictorian in her high school class. She has earned top scholarships, and has had her tuition completely covered by her academic achievements. She will be majoring in Social Justice with dreams of becoming a lawyer to fight for equity and fairness in a world that deeply needs it. She is brilliant, passionate, determined, and compassionate. Everything you hope for in a future leader. She has been accepted into and has won the highest academic scholarships available from Hanover College in Madison, IN. She has also won the scholarship and entry into her chosen program of Social Justice, as well as her high school's Law Academy scholarship, among others. In addition, she is also working and saving for her future herself.

However, we recently learned something that has me lying awake every night. At Hanover, all forms of financial aid (scholarships, need-based aid, grants, etc.) will max out at full tuition. So even with her full tuition covered, we are still $9,000 short of what she needs to actually live and learn on campus. In fact, for this reason, she isn't even allowed to use all of the money she's earned--there are almost $4000 unused dollars she's earned that we have to give back. We can't apply those funds to her housing and meal plan because she's already met her tuition goal. Having tuition covered, however, doesn't help if she can't afford to live and eat on campus. Her room and board are part of the total cost she will owe to Hanover, so without it, she can't go.

This is the one thing I wish I had known before I had college age kids. It's been a shock to learn that as well as she's done and as many accolades as she's earned, that we are still too poor to afford her education. I honestly thought that what little she was unable to cover through her scholarships could be funded from her Pell Grant and maybe a few additional loans, if needed. I never thought we'd be on the cusp of her great adventure, only to have the whole dream threatened because of financial need. It's too late to apply for any more scholarships that aren't based on luck. It's also too late to apply to any other school and expect to get the same financial awards as she received from Hanover; those funds have already been distributed by now. It appears that we are in a place where not only her Hanover dream is threatened, but her entire college experience that she's worked so hard for and dreamed about for so long.

I’ve taken on additional work to help cover the gap, but rent alone consumes over half of my monthly income. I'm driving a car with over 250k miles on it, and it is quite literally held together with duct tape. I haven't had my hair cut or new clothes in years. I am making more money than ever in my life, now that I'm at JCPS, but we have less available cash and no savings due to rising costs and low teacher pay. We simply can’t take on any more loans—especially since my credit was damaged years ago when Connor’s father passed away. I’ve spent 18 years scrimping, saving, and sacrificing for my kids while teaching everybody else's, with great love and joy. It breaks my heart—and frankly infuriates me—that I still cannot afford to provide the education my daughter has earned and worked so hard for.

Connor has done her part. She has fought, studied, succeeded, and inspired everyone around her. Now I’m asking for your help so she doesn’t have to put her dreams on hold due to a financial technicality. Whether wise or foolish, we have committed her to Hanover and the wheels are set in motion. I've simply had to try and have faith that somehow, someway, we will figure this out. We are determined to make this work, whatever we have to do.

Every donation, no matter the amount, brings her one step closer to the future she deserves. I understand if you can’t give, but please consider sharing this page with others. I also welcome any ideas or comments from other parents who can relate, or who found themselves in my position and somehow made it happen, or anyone with an idea that would help. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for supporting Connor and believing in our story.

With gratitude,

KLP