Part 2 in our series on how we’re changing lives with your help.
Jemel Tyree knew he had the moves on the field to play college football. And his character — proven by caring for foster children at home and disabled men at Praises Mental Health Services– was just what a coach would want.
But it was in the classroom where he thought he might fumble away his future.
So in 2015 the Franklin County native and his mother sought out Roanoke Catholic to enhance his academic standing. They immediately fell in love with our school’s environment and values.
The tuition assistance we could provide made it a win all around.
“We wouldn’t be here without it,” says his mother, Gamel McGhee. “The environment as a whole is great, and being around people who have the same goals has helped him tremendously.”
Now a senior, Jemel is the Celtics’ leading rusher, scoring 10 touchdowns in his last two games. More importantly, Jemel is a leader in school.
“He always has a smile on his face,” says theology teacher Ellen Vanden Eykel. “He is attentive and friendly and he’s always willing to ask the question that no one else will ask … and he’s the better for it.”
Please make a tax-deductible donation today to our Annual Fund. Or contact Debbie Stump about contributing through the state Education Improvement Scholarships Tax Credits program.
Your generosity makes Roanoke Catholic accessible and affordable to families like Jemel’s who aspire to our standards of academic excellence and Christian values. Thank you for helping us fulfill our mission of “blending learning with faith and faith with daily life.”
