A New Beginning

One week ago, we celebrated the grand opening of our Frank & Paula Harshaw Riverport Campus at Riverport Landings. Kalyn, FSH participant spoke about her experience at FSH, you can read below.

Thank you. Hello everyone, I’m a little nervous, but I am also extremely excited for the opportunity to be here today. As Ms. Cathe said, my name is Kalyn Maddox and I call The Frank & Paula Harshaw Riverport Campus home. I moved in earlier this year with my four year old daughter, Makari. There are not enough words to describe what these past few months have been like for us as we settle into this new chapter in our beautiful apartment. It has not been an easy path; becoming a teenage mom, navigating motherhood, managing school and financial responsibilities. But thankfully, my path led me to Family Scholar House, which has made all of those responsibilities and struggles feel more manageable.

I have to admit, when I first found out about Family Scholar House, it sounded too good to be true. Hearing that people were there to support me, provide my little family with housing, academic coaching and life skills – all in one place. I attended orientation, learned all about the program and immediately began going to workshops, calling to check in and doing everything I could to move up the waiting list. When I found out we were going to be moving on this campus, tears filled my eyes. I couldn’t contain all the emotions, the opportunity to live in our own space, to focus on school & continue to grow as a mother and a student.

I am currently a sophomore and attend the University of Louisville, majoring in Nursing. Right now my focus is getting accepted into the upper division of nursing for the spring. My ultimate dream is to help others by sharing my passion with my patients and their families. I hope to show people how much possibility there is in life. My daughter is a bundle of light and laughter. Watching her grow up and discover the world around her is my favorite thing – I pray she never loses that sense of wonder. I love that Family Scholar House provides programming, not just for me but also for my daughter. Just as I am afforded an opportunity to learn and grow, so is Makari. Family Scholar House isn’t just my home, it’s my community. Makari seeing me complete my dreams while she works to figure out hers is something I never thought possible.

In closing I just want to say THANK YOU, thank you to everyone that made this campus possible for us. From the very first conversation, to all the meetings, planning and construction, to donating furniture and clothes to fill our new homes. By supporting this project, you are supporting my family – you are making it possible for Makari to play in a safe environment with other kids and for me to pursue my dream. I will officially graduate and become a registered nurse IN 2021, and you are all invited. Thank you again for believing in this program, this project and this family – your belief helps me continue to push on those long days and sets an example for the type of person I want to be, a person that pays it forward to the next family in need.