How a mom struggles to educate children

Through a video, the 150 who attended the recent Beacon of Hope scholarship breakfast heard an impassioned plea by Daniela Britos about why she wants her children to attend Catholic school, despite financial struggles.

The three -- Gabriela, Micaela and Antonio -- are students at Our Lady of Victory School in Troy. Third-grader Micaela was one of the first winners of a Beacon of Hope scholarship, covering her $1,500 annual tuition for the next three years.

"Money is a big issue," Ms. Britos notes in the video presentation. When her son entered pre-K at OLV, she was already struggling to pay tuition for her two older daughters.

Pinching pennies

She sold a car and borrowed money against her retirement fund to pay the tuition, but "I didn't think I was going to be able to make it," Ms. Britos told The Evangelist. "Even though I wanted them to be here, I was thinking of pulling the two [girls] out for a public school. It was scary for me."

Ms. Britos, whose family came to the U.S. from Brazil when she was 14, told The Evangelist she's a strong believer in Catholic education.

"I grew up going to Catholic school. There, it's whatever parents can afford to pay," she explained. But, in this country, "it's really hard. Luckily, I have support: My family would never let me put them in public school! My mom pays my daughter's tuition and I pay for aftercare and books and whatever else she needs."

Seeking help

Ms. Britos also applies for any scholarships she can find. She joked that, when she applied for $250 in tuition aid through the Lally Fund each year, she did so online to make sure her application was one of the first ones received.

Learning that her daughter won a Beacon of Hope scholarship thrilled the whole family. Micaela herself told her mother, "It's hard to send me [to OLV]; this is going to help a lot."

Hearing that bothered Ms. Britos a little. She said she doesn't want her children to worry about money, "but kids talk. Their friends tell them, 'How can your mom afford it?' I tell them, 'Let me worry about it.'"

Paying back

When the Diocese approached Ms. Britos about being in a video to promote the scholarships, she didn't hesitate.

In the brief presentation, she notes: "You get what you pay for, but when you come here [to a Catholic school], you get that double in return."

She talks about knowing her children are safe when she drops them off at OLV, and about teachers who accommodated all Micaela's needs when she returned to school after having surgery to correct a club foot.

"I don't want [viewers] to look at me like I'm a charity case," Ms. Britos told The Evangelist. "This is about education and my kids. One day, when I'm better off, I want to sponsor a whole family."

(10/11/07)