St. Genevieve students named Anthem Awards finalists for California EFTC campaign

A group of St. Genevieve Parish Schools students in Panorama City has been named a finalist in three Anthem Awards categories for its campaign to persuade Gov. Gavin Newsom to opt California into the federal Education Freedom Tax Credit. The student-led effort has already reached state officials, education leaders and thousands of families as California weighs a program that could expand school-choice funding in 2027.

Why it matters: - The students are trying to unlock billions of dollars in potential annual education assistance for California families. - If California opts in, the federal Education Freedom Tax Credit could help students in public, charter and private schools pay for tutoring, technology, specialized services and tuition. - The campaign has become a real-world civics lesson with statewide implications, not just a classroom exercise.

What happened: - St. Genevieve Parish Schools students in Panorama City, California, were named finalists in three categories of the 6th Annual Anthem Awards. - The campaign, “A Valiant Effort,” is part of a three-college-credit Leadership and Advocacy course offered with Seton Hill University. - The course’s stated goal is to persuade Gov. Gavin Newsom to opt California into the federal EFTC. - The Anthem Awards recognized the work in Community Engagement, Grassroots Effort and K–12 Education Innovation.

The details: - Federal guidance released Oct. 1 says the U.S. Treasury estimates about 96% of children in participating states would be eligible for assistance. - The federal program is scheduled to begin in 2027. - Eligible taxpayers could receive a federal tax credit of up to $1,700 for contributions to approved Scholarship Granting Organizations. - Those organizations would then provide aid for qualified educational expenses. - In April, students mailed 15,000 purple postcards to Newsom asking California to opt in. - Four students later traveled to Sacramento for a meeting with Brooks Allen, Gov. Newsom’s education adviser. - The scheduled 30-minute meeting ran for more than an hour. - Allen listened to the students’ presentation, asked questions and praised their preparation and advocacy. - Allen also told the students no decision had been made and urged them to keep working. - The students have since worked with leaders and advocates across political and religious lines, including Jorge Elorza of Democrats for Education Reform, Teach Coalition, the California Catholic Conference and others. - The group hosted a statewide Zoom information rally with representatives from Catholic, Jewish, Armenian and charter schools. - Presenters included Jorge Elorza, Samara Palko of the American Federation for Children, Sydney Altfield of Teach Coalition and Greg Dolan of the U.S. Department of the Treasury. - The students also met by Zoom with California Catholic school superintendents during a statewide gathering in Monterey. - After starting with a postcard push, the students shifted to a simpler outreach tactic with Teach Coalition. - The new approach uses a prepared letter link that people can complete in about 40 seconds. - St. Genevieve says the students are learning research, coalition-building, public speaking and how to adapt strategy when conditions change. - The school’s mission is “To know God, to live with honor, to change the world.” - Student Alisa Bongco said the campaign aims to “change the world for millions of families across California.”

Between the lines: - The students’ recognition signals that the campaign has moved beyond a school project and into the broader education-policy conversation. - The group’s outreach to leaders from different political and faith communities suggests the students are trying to build bipartisan, cross-sector support around a single issue. - The shift from postcards to a faster digital letter tool shows a campaign adapting to scale and reduce barriers to participation.

What’s next: - California still has not opted into the federal program. - Gov. Newsom has not announced a decision. - The students are continuing their outreach to education leaders, families and public officials as the 2027 program start date approaches.

The bottom line: - A student campaign at St. Genevieve Parish Schools is getting national recognition while pressing a live policy question that could affect education funding for millions of California children.