Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessica Bartnick.
Hi Jessica, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers.
I have always had a dream to make the world a better place. Ever since I was a little girl, I started a “Save The World” club in my neighborhood. And then volunteered throughout high school and college. After about 10 years in Corporate America, I was becoming increasingly dissatisfied with the work I was doing. I spent many years working in Pharmaceutical and Medical Device companies, and I saw how these organizations operated from the inside, and I needed to remove myself. I always believed that God speaks to me in my sleep. And one morning, I woke up with an idea to start a nonprofit. So, I did! And Foundation For CHOICE was born! I believe I have the solution to fix education, and I know I can fix education in the inner cities, too. But since I am not yet the one making the big decisions on education reform, I founded a growing nonprofit that makes unparalleled impact for the students we serve. And we fix educational barriers for the students we serve!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
If everything was easy, everyone would do it. We have been watching the slow demise of education for years now. Students graduate from public school less prepared for college or career than ever before. The % of students that graduate from college within 4 years is less than 50%!
For low-income students, those % are even worse. 86% of low-income students drop out of college. That means that basically, 9 out of 10 low-income students will drop out. Why? There are too many reasons to address. One major reason is that some teachers have veered too far away from ONLY being subject matter experts. Instilling personal beliefs in children should not be allowed in the classroom. We need our schools to teach our students to excel in the classroom through education.
For inner city kids, they have been told for so many years that they cannot achieve their dreams. It is not easy to overcome the negatively they have been falsely fed for many years. But we help them realize they can achieve their dreams! And our students are averaging over $40,000 each in college funding and entering college more prepared than their peers!
Education is the great equalizer, and you can achieve anything if you work for it!
As you know, we’re big fans of Foundation For CHOICE. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about the brand?
Oh! Thanks! We are big fans of our work too!
Foundation For CHOICE is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that focuses on helping low-income kids achieve college and career success. CHOICE is an acronym for Consider How One Individual Changes Everything. And that is exactly what our volunteers do for the students they mentor!
And we have a Vision! Vision 2030! We plan to elevate 2,000 students by 2030 to break the cycle of poverty for generations.
There is not another mentoring organization out there that provides the same level of support that we do for the students in our program.
There is such a great need for our program, and that is where we need your help. We need mentors, we need local businesses who can have a few phone calls with a student, and we need financial resources so we can continue to give low-income students the best opportunities to break the cycle of poverty for generations.
We love surprises, fun facts, and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
Something you might not know about me is that I have a hard time sleeping at night. My husband is probably the only person who knows this about me. I am always thinking of ways to improve the world when I should be sleeping. I keep notes on my iPad, which I have next to my bed, so I can type up the ideas I come up with while I should be asleep. I know God is working through me, so I welcome to insomnia.
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