Meet a Jubilee Scholar: Jayden

Jayden’s mother describes him as caring, creative, and enjoyable. As a sixth grader at Cedar Grove Christian Academy, he has the opportunity to be really creative and to grow in all of his God-given talents and gifts.

Jayden’s neighborhood school simply wasn’t a good match for his skills and abilities. Only 14% of students achieved proficiency in math, according to the state. Only 27% achieved proficiency in reading. For a bright, creative, active student like Jayden, there just weren’t many opportunities to excel. But there were plenty of opportunities to get left behind.

So two years ago, Jayden’s mom enrolled him at Cedar Grove—all to help him discover new opportunities to develop the talents the Lord gave him, and to thrive as a person. Here’s what she told us:

“I knew Christian school was what Jayden needed. It was the best choice for his academic and spiritual growth. I’m a single parent with low income, and I knew that it would create a burden financially. But with sources of help like Children’s Jubilee Fund, I am blessed, and was able to get through the school year without the burden of full school tuition. The financial blessing that Children’s Jubilee Fund filled the gap that I could not afford.”

When we asked Jayden’s mom to name some of the benefits of attending Cedar Grove Christian Academy rather than his neighborhood school, she said:

“In the Christian school the teachers and children are more loving. The Christian background makes them more caring. This is the main thing I’ve experienced with Cedar Grove. I see the love and care they show toward the children. Placing Jayden in Cedar Grove has been a turnaround experience for us, and I am very grateful.”

Jayden hasn’t settled on a single area of interest for a career or further study yet. But he enjoys art, Spanish, and music. Only the Lord knows where Jayden’s life will take him. Jayden’s mom is hopeful about his future:

“It is my desire to give Jayden the best, to show and expose him to the best, and encourage him to be the best—so that one day, he will become the best he can be. He could be a part of the change the world needs. I want him to rise above stereotypes, judgments, inequality, and injustice. I want him to prove to himself and to the world that education, knowledge, and a spirit of love can transform the world into a better place.”

Jayden’s mom echoes the sentiments of many Jubilee scholars. Your gifts help Jubilee help students like Jayden live up to their full, God-given potential. Thank you!

Make a gift of support to Children’s Jubilee Fund today—and help other students like Jayden experience their full potential!

Tim Geiger (M.Div.) is Executive Director of Children's Jubilee Fund. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Tim has lived in or around the city most of his life. His undergraduate studies done at the Community College of Philadelphia, Tim went on to earn a Master of Divinity Degree from Westminster Theological Seminary. He is ordained as a Teaching Elder in the Presbyterian Church in America. Prior to serving at Children's Jubilee Fund, Tim worked for the Internal Revenue Service, The Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals, and Harvest USA, where he also served as Executive Director and then President from 2012-2019. Tim lives with his wife and daughter just outside of Philadelphia.

Children's Jubilee Fund is a 501(c)(3) organization established in 1997 to provide tuition grants to Christian schools in the Philadelphia metro area that serve lower-income students. These grants are then awarded by the schools as scholarships to students who meet income and residency guidelines. Each year, Jubilee provides hundreds of thousands of dollars in grants that, in turn, help hundreds of students in Philadelphia, Delaware, Montgomery, and Camden Counties achieve their God-given academic and personal potential. Children's Jubilee Fund is an entirely donor-supported organization.