ACE Scholarships offers way to invest in youth, future of Louisiana
By Arthur Dupre
State Director, ACE Scholarships
One of my favorite definitions of leadership is that it is the capacity and the will to rally men and women to a common purpose and the character which inspires confidence. By that definition, Eddie Rispone — co-founder of ISC Constructors, LLC, and one of ACE Scholarships’ greatest champions– is a world-class leader who is committed to helping those in need in our state. Moreover, he is a world-class person and a man of character and compassion.
The profile on Eddie in this month’s e-newsletter describes his remarkable ability to unite diverse coalitions in working for the common good. He helped lead efforts that established both the Louisiana Workforce Investment Council, an innovative program that provides tools and resources to people seeking meaningful employment, and the Tuition Donate Rebate Program, which empowers thousands of low-income Louisiana families each year with the financial resources to choose the best school for their children.
Eddie is motivated by his deep faith and his love for Louisiana. His hallmark is his relentless drive to provide greater educational options for children and meaningful careers for workers in our state. Eddie’s efforts to advance the common good are not solely impacting the minds and hearts of our children; rather, they are also having a tangible impact on our state’s economy.
The groundbreaking report by ACE Scholarships, The Value of a Diploma, also featured in this e-newsletter, offers a sobering look at the impact on society when a student drops out of school. The report illustrates that the 20 percent of Louisiana students, ages 18-24, who have not completed high school, will cost the state more than $26 billion in diminished revenue and other social costs over their lifetimes.
The report details the impact that ACE Scholarships has on the lives of students from low-income families: ACE students graduate at rates 25-36 percent higher than their peers; ACE students are twice as likely to go to college. The transformation is powerful and palpable.
Rogers Griffin, who has been the principal at Holy Family High School in Lafayette for 17 years, calls ACE Scholarships a “lifesaver” for the 90 percent of students at his school who qualify for the Free and Reduced Lunch program. “Instead of dropping out, our students achieve success in high school and many become the first in their family to attend college,” he explained.
We are grateful for the confidence that Eddie Rispone puts in ACE Scholarships when he says, “I believe donating to ACE Scholarships is one of the best investments we can make for the good of God’s children and for the good of society.”
For more information on how to get involved with ACE Scholarships, contact Arthur Dupre at [email protected]
