STORY

Marshall Shanks

Marshall Shanks is a a young student in Memphis attending St. George’s Independent School, and he is a perfect example of the positive impact that occurs when we empower families with school choice. Marshall has attended St. George’s since pre-K, has participated in golf, lacrosse, basketball, and band, all while maintaining a 3.4 GPA. He takes a rigorous course-load that has included pre-algebra, French, and Latin. Marshall’s education comes courtesy of the Memphis Opportunity Scholarship Trust (MOST), a privately funded scholarship organization designed to help low-income families in Memphis attend private elementary and secondary schools. Marshall’s mom, Marilyn, is a prime example of a hardworking mother left to raise her son after his father passed away when Marshall was barely a year old. She is grateful to MOST for Marshall’s opportunity to receive a quality education that she could otherwise not afford. “Our private school experience has been a blessing. We are fortunate to have a choice,” she says. Sadly, many of Marshall’s peers are not so fortunate. Marshall and Marilyn live in a neighborhood rife with challenges. The hopes of many youth are slipping away, as young people fall prey to drugs and other illicit activities. Without the same opportunities as Marshall to benefit from a quality education, they are being left behind. To learn more about Beacon’s efforts to advance school choice, click here.