Change Your Stars!

We can all recite lines from our favorite movies years after we first watch them. From Moonstruck's "I'll come to your funeral in a red dress" to Caddy Shack's "See your future. Be your future." to Forest Gump's "Sometimes, I guess there just aren't enough rocks," we can all remember movie lines.  One line in particular from the movie A Knight's Tale has stuck with me because I see parents live this line every day. The line is "Change your stars and live a better life than I have." In the movie, this advice comes from a father wanting something better for his son. "Change your stars."

I have seen this line play-out in real life so many times; parents wanting better for their children. To make certain their children's education is a top priority, so many of our Jubilee parents struggle and sacrifice to help their children. It is a common recurring theme, parents doing all they can to change their children's stars.

Matthew Kelly once said, “We become the stories we listen to.” I hope you become part of this story.

The White Family

This Jubilee story began in 2003 when Mr. & Mrs. White were introduced to the Jubilee Schools. The Whites wanted a better life for their three children, and were willing to sacrifice everything to make sure DeWayne, Jeanne, and Jennifer changed their stars. They wanted a better life for their children and believed enrolling all three in Jubilee Schools would make the difference they wanted to see.

I first met this wonderful family when I was principal of Holy Names Catholic School in North Memphis. The Whites knew their children needed extra academic help they were not receiving in their local school. They heard about the Jubilee Schools from a relative, and paid a visit to Holy Names and Little Flower to learn more about the Jubilee Schools. It was not long before DeWayne, Jeanne, and Jennifer were enrolled in Jubilee Schools.

The Whites are not Catholic, but they knew in their hearts that Catholic education was the best option for their children. Even though they lived in the Westwood neighborhood in South Memphis, they enrolled DeWayne and Jeanne at Holy Names and Jennifer at Little Flower because she was not yet old enough to attend Holy Names. Back then, Mrs. White worked near Holy Names.

All three children quickly experienced success at the Jubilee Schools and their Jubilee Scholarship helped pay for part of their education from elementary through high school graduation. Mr. & Mrs. White were extremely happy with the Jubilee Schools and the Catholic School system, and were willing to work extra hours to be able to keep their children in the schools.

DeWayne White

DeWayne excelled at Holy Names. He was part of the first graduating class, and was hand-picked as one of ten Holy Names students to spend a week at Switchback Ranch in Roscoe, Montana. This is his greatest memory from Holy Names. It is one of mine as well. He attended Bishop Byrne and graduated in 2010. DeWayne didn’t intend to go to college. So, he started working at Dollar General and then moved over to Target where he has worked for four years.  He is a new employee trainer. He changed his mind about college when he discovered that with a college degree, he can move into a managerial position. He enrolled in college and is now on track to graduate from Lemoyne-Owen in 2018 with a Bachelor's of Business Administration in Management.

Jeanne White

Jeanne also graduated from Holy Names and followed her brother to Bishop Byrne. She was nervous about attending Holy Names but soon came to love it. One aspect of Holy Names she enjoyed was all the children were treated the same.  She graduated from Bishop Byrne in 2012 and attends Lemoyne-Owen. She is scheduled to graduate this December with a Bachelor’s of Business Administration in Finance. Lemoyne-Owen requires their business majors to intern at a local business. Jeanne’s internship was at AIL Logistics Solutions. She is ready to graduate and move into the next phase of her life with college diploma in-hand.

Jennifer's path to high school graduation was very different from

Jennifer White

her siblings. She first attended Little Flower for 1st and 2nd grade and then Holy Names. After the 5th grade, her mother's job changed so she no longer worked near Holy Names. Jennifer transferred to St. Augustine for her 6th grade year. She then attended Bishop Byrne until the school was closed. She attended Memphis Catholic her senior year and graduated in 2015. Jennifer’s one year of internship at Memphis Catholic was at American Residential Services. In Jennifer's words, she "loved the internship at ARS." She is currently a junior at Lemoyne-Owen and studying early childhood education. Jennifer is scheduled to graduate in May of 2019. Through Lemoyne-Owen, Jennifer has interned at UC-Riverside working on the business side of education. Even though she is not Catholic, Jennifer participated in the March for Life in Washington. Because of her excellent conduct at Bishop Byrne, an anonymous donor funded her trip to Washington.

For Mr. & Mrs. White, the education their children received exceeded their expectations so much so that their relatives followed suit and started sending their children to the Jubilee Schools and Bishop Byrne.

Brandi Flynn, a cousin, enrolled at Holy Names. Brandi graduated from Holy Names and Bishop Byrne. She is also at Lemoyne-Owen and is studying early childhood education. Several of their relatives also attended St. Augustine and Bishop Byrne.

DeWayne, Jeanne, & Jennifer

DeWayne, Jeanne, and Jennifer work while going to college. Their parents paid for their Jubilee and Catholic education, but the children are responsible for paying for their college education. Three children, three Jubilee scholars, and three soon-to-be college graduates. "Change your stars and live a better life than I have."

When asked where they will one day send their own children to school, all three without hesitation and with a smile said, "We will send our children to Catholic Schools." Now that needs to be a line in a movie.

To support the Jubilee Schools, please click here! Please consider being a Jubilee sponsor and support our work in helping to change the stars of Jubilee students. Thank you.

God bless you,
Didier Aur