Two Parents Challenge graduates win Daniels scholarships

Two Colorado Springs students from Parents Challenge earned 2026 Daniels Fund Scholarships, a milestone that highlights how school-choice support can open doors to college and career pathways. Lily Jacobs and Reagan Schultz will use the awards to attend Colorado Christian University and Wheaton College, respectively, this fall. Why it matters: - Two Colorado Springs students gained access to major college funding through the Daniels Scholarship Program, which supports high-achieving students from Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. - The awards highlight how Parents Challenge links school-choice support to academic, leadership and career opportunities. - The scholarships can ease the cost of attending accredited colleges for students who have shown strong character, leadership and service. What happened: - Parents Challenge said Lily Jacobs and Reagan Schultz were selected as Daniels Scholars for the 2026 graduating class. - Both students are graduates in the Parents Challenge program. - Jacobs will attend Colorado Christian University this fall. - Schultz will attend Wheaton College in Illinois this fall. The details: - The Daniels Scholarship Program is described as one of the most comprehensive and generous college scholarship programs in the country. - The program serves students who are high-achieving and values-driven. - Jacobs used Parents Challenge support to compete in additional speech and debate tournaments and to pursue national-level competition. - Jacobs became a nationally ranked competitor and the 2025 National Slam Poetry Champion. - Jacobs plans to study vocal performance and business. - Jacobs wants to own a music studio and become a music therapist. - Schultz has been part of the Parents Challenge community for 10 years. - Schultz’s family used Parents Challenge support to enroll her in a local hybrid-homeschool program. - Schultz said Collegium Study Center and Evangel Christian Academy gave her educational, athletic, spiritual and leadership opportunities. - Schultz plans to major in education and play basketball at Wheaton College. - Schultz hopes to teach and coach in the future. - Parents Challenge supports students in public, charter, private, online, hybrid and homeschool settings. - The nonprofit helps families access educational resources and opportunities that fit their children’s needs. - Parents Challenge was founded in 2000 and says it has helped more than 1,500 families and over 4,500 children. Between the lines: - The scholarships give Parents Challenge a concrete success story as national debate over school choice continues. - The two students followed different education paths, but both point to the same theme: family choice and targeted support can expand options beyond a single school model. - Jacobs’ and Schultz’s outcomes also show how academic, extracurricular and leadership experiences can strengthen scholarship competitiveness. What’s next: - Jacobs will start at Colorado Christian University this fall. - Schultz will begin at Wheaton College this fall. - Both students will use the scholarship awards as they move into college and, in Schultz’s case, toward a future in teaching and coaching. - Parents Challenge said it will continue helping low-income families choose educational paths that fit their children best. The bottom line: - Parents Challenge is pointing to Jacobs and Schultz as examples of how school-choice support can translate into scholarships, college access and long-term opportunity.