Real Children, Real Stories

Uninsured Children
Beat the Odds^® Scholarship Recipients
CDF Freedom Schools^® Students
Children Caught in the Pipeline to Prison
Katrina's Children

Uninsured Children

The Bostic Family

The Bostic family has been without health coverage since 2006. Marc Bostic tells how difficult it is to get and keep health coverage for his children.

Robert

Robert's grandfather fought for a full year to get his grandson's SCHIP coverage renewed.

Nedbalek Family

After the Nedbalek children lost their health insurance, the family struggled to put food on the table.

Kyle

Before SCHIP, Kyle's mother could not afford medicine to treat his ADHD and asthma. Since SCHIP, Kyle's illnesses are being treated and he is excelling in school.

Kevin, Monica & Pedro

After Hurricane Katrina, these siblings spent over a year without health coverage after their emergency Medicaid ended.

Kayle & Gavin

Kayle and Gavin's mother faces the tough choice of choosing between her pride and doing what she knows is best for her children.

Devante Johnson

Devante went without health coverage while his mother attempted to renew his Medicaid. By the time it was reinstated, he died from kidney cancer.

Deamonte Driver

Deamonte died because his mother couldn’t find a dentist who would accept Medicaid or afford an $80 tooth extraction.

Christina & Camilla

Camilla's mother wants to know how she can look Camilla in the eye and tell her she may die because she can't afford her medication.

CDF Beat the Odds^® Scholarship Recipients

Yahir

Yahir has overcome the trauma and personal insecurity of coping with a physical handicap.

Rudy was born in the U.S. but grew up in Mexico where he attended a very poor school that provided next to no education. Rudy compensated by reading huge amounts of information independently to teach himself years' worth of material in less than one month.

Rose Stefany Quispe

In three short years Rose has achieved more than most high school students: she moved to the U.S., learned English and has been accepted to an early college summer program for writing.

Rebecca Parish

Most children grow up being taken care of by their parents, but for Rebecca, it’s been the other way around.

Randa

Randa, was 18 when she arrived in the U.S. alone from Yemen. Despite several hurdles, she took classes at night and on weekends to graduate from Lee high school in 3 years.

Paul

Paul lives with a significant learning disability that he has struggled to overcome through hard work and sheer determination.

Nathan Cabrera

Nathan Cabrera has never really had a childhood—he’s had to be mature and responsible almost his entire life.

Nakea Paige

Nakea Paige went from being an angry, insecure child to a self determined, well-educated, beautiful young woman.

Na Eng

A former Beat the Odds scholarship winner becomes an Emmy® award-winning television producer.

Michael Roberts

When Michael left school each afternoon, he often didn’t know where he was going to sleep that night. Despite the difficult home environment, Michael has excelled both in the classroom and as a top athlete.

Michael A. Dejene

Despite his father's death,and adjusting to a new life in America, Michael is an outstanding student and an active member in the Ethiopian community.

Max Wirt

Max Wirt has been beating the odds since the day he was born. Through it all Max has stayed involved. He has sung in his church choir since age 5, and volunteers at the church’s summer camp each year.

Kristopher Stith

Instead of following the path into crime and delinquency, he prides himself on his education, art and work as a staff member at a local youth leadership program.

Kia Lor

Kia Lor was forced to grow up more quickly than most children. Despite having to study English as a Second Language until 7th grade, Kia is now near the top of her class with a 3.6 GPA.

Keagoé Stith

A community activist, Keagoe is using his education, artistic abilities and youth leadership training to empower his neighbors and teach his peers about the value of education and hard work.

Kapria Lee

Kapria Lee says that her life has taught her that nothing is impossible.

Jin Shin

Jin has overcome some of the most difficult challenges a child can face, but has risen above the pain and is now a survivor looking forward to a bright future.

Feefelobari

Feefelobari is a Nigerian civil war refugee. With perseverance and determination she is thriving, graduating in the top 5% of her class and contributing extensive community service.

Edwin Rosas

Chaos and upheaval have always been a part Edwin’s life. Edwin says all the adversity has made him stronger and more appreciative of what he has.

Crystal Ramirez

Thanks to dedicated teachers and her own inner strength, Crystal has excellent grades and—even more importantly—a better life.

CDF Freedom Schools^® Students

Mitchell Family

After Hurricane Katrina, Rene, Akil, and Aliyah found stability in the CDF Freedom Schools program.

Calvinika Johnson

Calvinika was often teased and used to strike out in anger by fighting at school, but she is doing better at controlling her behavior and she attributes much of the improvement to her involvement with the CDF Freedom Schools program.