Crossover Scholarship Fund

Pictured above: Kalifa’s sons, Jamari and Hamadi

Taking A Leap

by Kalifa Bandele-Smith

Pictured above: Kalifa with her entire family.

While taking my son to a basketball game I saw a pamphlet that caught my attention. The pamphlet was for a new all boys, Christian, private school in north Tulsa. Seeing a young black man on the cover wearing a suit made me pick it up to read later. At the time my oldest son was in the 6th grade, and my youngest son was in the 3rd. Later I read the pamphlet, knowing that my oldest son, Hamadi, needed a change since he’d struggled with school most of his life. He was on an Individualized learning plan (IEP), but I was not seeing the changes and improvements that I was hoping for. Finally, when Hamadi reached the 8th grade, we decided to take a chance on a brand-new school that had only been open for one year. Nervous yet hopeful, we took the leap. My children’s education and success has always been a top priority, and I felt a change in direction was needed to see the results that I was anticipating. My youngest son, Jamari, was struggling as well. He was often getting into trouble at school and some of his behaviors were preventing him from reaching his full potential academically. Once he became old enough, I knew that he would join his brother at Crossover Prep.

Pictured above: Kalifa with her son's Jamari and Hamadi

I noticed a change in both of my boys’ academic and social lives almost immediately. The class sizes are a lot smaller, and this instantly became one of my favorite things about Crossover Prep. With smaller class sizes my eldest son could get the help that he needed and feel more confident asking questions. Also, it’s a lot harder for him to hide in the back of the class and feel left out. My boys and I also love the fact that the small close-knit school assigned all the boys an Academic Coach (A.C) that would help guide them throughout their academic journey. A.C.s are pretty much always available to the students and their parents to assist with schoolwork, provide encouragement, and build godly relationships.

I honestly don’t know where my boys would be if I Had not made the call and took the leap of faith when I did.

-Kalifa S.

Another way that Crossover Prep builds a sense of community is by holding convocation every morning to start the day and assigning all the boys to teams or small groups where the young men support and encourage each other while also focusing on accountability.

As a parent of two young men, I’ve always made it a point to be as involved in their school life as I could. This year I am serving on the Lions’ Den Parent Group as the President. The Lions’ Den is a parent group that is similar to a PTA (Parent Teacher Association) and Booster Club combined. We meet and discuss ideas and make plans for ways that we can help more parents get involved and promote school spirit among other things. A great accomplishment of the Lions’ Den this year is notably our “Donuts with Dads” day. We were overjoyed by how many dads showed up that morning to spend quality time with their sons, and the young men were encouraged too!

Pictured above: Kalifa’s son, Jamari.

My family found a hidden gem when we found Crossover Prep. I honestly don’t know where my boys would be if I had not made that call and took the leap of faith when I did. I am forever grateful to Crossover, and I look forward to seeing how this amazing school will continue to grow.

The Crossover Scholarship Fund provides a tuition-free education for the students at Crossover Prep!

Kalifa Bandele-Smith is a Lead Teacher at CAP-Tulsa and the Founder of Sukari Glo Skincare. She has been married to Anthony Smith for 6 years, and their family is completed by their 6 kiddos, Hamadi (17), Jamari (14), Anthony (15), Alyjah (13), Aubrielle (8), and Autumn (6). As an Educator, Kalifa’s emphasis on strong academics and social accountability is changing the narrative for her kids and their peers. As an entrepreneur, her desire to create opportunities for herself and her family according to their skill set is evident. She loves people well and creates a sense of family and belonging instantly, and we are so grateful she chose Crossover Prep. We are also excited that her son, Hamadi, will be a part of the first graduating class of Crossover Prep!

To learn more about the Crossover Scholarship Fund and the most IMPACTful state tax credits available, please go to www.crossoverscholarshipfund.org.