EASTON, Md. – For Milly and John Bezjak of Easton, Md., life has dealt some harsh challenges in the past few years.
However, their firm anchor has been their Catholic faith, and their reliance on Catholic education to help them remain steadfast and strong as a devout Catholic family. The family attends Mass at Saints Peter & Paul Parish.
Because John is battling cancer and Milly stays home to care for him and their twin sons Gabriel and Matthew, who are in second grade, they rely on the help they receive from the Diocese of Wilmington and the state of Maryland to educate their children at Saints Peter & Paul Elementary School in Easton.
Between the state’s Broadening Options and Opportunities for Students Today (BOOST) program and diocesan aid, the boys have been able to attend Catholic school nearly tuition-free.
The purpose of the BOOST Scholarship Program is to provide scholarships to low-income students to attend a participating nonpublic school in Maryland.
For the Bezjaks, the program allows their children to receive the kind of Catholic education they enjoyed as youth.
At school, the boys “learn the same values they learn at home,” Milly said. The twins have been able to attend SSPP Elementary since kindergarten.
“When they come home, they are more respectful, they have more compassion, and they have good behavior with grown-ups and other children,” she said.
With all of her responsibilities in caring for her husband, raising energetic boys and managing the household, she said, “I have peace of mind my children are able to go to Catholic school.”
Sherrie Connolly, principal of SSPP Elementary School, is grateful for the assistance families like the Bezjaks are able to receive.
“The BOOST program is a blessing to our school families who truly appreciate this valuable Maryland tuition assistance that supports these parents’ desire to send their children to our Catholic school,” Connolly said.
The Maryland General Assembly is currently considering extending the BOOST program “that provides scholarships for students who are eligible for U.S. Department of Agriculture’s free or reduced-price meals program (FARMs).”
Nonpublic schools must comply with the program’s nondiscrimination policy and reporting requirements.
The annually budgeted program appropriates funding with incremental increases until at least fiscal year 2029 “and each fiscal year thereafter.”
Co-sponsors of the cross-filed legislation to continue funding the program are all four senators and 11 of 12 delegates representing the nine counties of Maryland’s Eastern Shore.
“As a school, we do our best to offer tuition assistance to our families, but we could not help as many families without such pivotal additional support,” Connolly said.
Milly Bezjak said before the boys were born, she knew she wanted to send them to Catholic school. “It was very important,” she said.
“Matthew and Gabe are so happy and proud to be able to attend SSPP, which they couldn’t without BOOST and the diocese,” Milly wrote in a text message.
“We are grateful to our diocese for supporting families through their Visions for the Future assistance program and to the Maryland BOOST program as well,” Connolly said. “These two additional sources of support help our families who might not be able to send their children otherwise.
The deadline to apply for BOOST scholarship awards for the 2024-2025 school year is May 3. According to the Maryland State Department of Education, award amounts depend on several factors, including household income, the academic level of the student and any financial assistance that the school provides to the student. The BOOST Advisory Board will meet in Summer 2024 to determine award amounts.
For more information visit www.marylandpublicschools.org/Pages/boost/index.aspx.
