Yadira Marie Crespo Rodriguez has always been fierce in her determination to provide her son, Emanuel, with opportunities she never had. Sitting down to talk about why she chose Catholic education for Emmanuel, Yadira’s deep faith and strong values shine through in every word. For her, enrolling Emanuel in a Catholic school was about more than just academics—it was about giving him a foundation rooted in faith, community, and personal growth.
“I wanted something different for him,” Yadira explains. Growing up, she attended public schools in Maryland, and while she pushed herself to succeed, she felt something was missing. “There’s nothing of [faith] in public schools,” she reflects. Her own Catholic upbringing, influenced by her grandparents and the presence of nuns in her childhood school in Puerto Rico, had instilled values that she wanted to pass on to her son.
But more than just faith, Yadira knew that the crowded classrooms and lack of personal attention in public schools wouldn’t give Emanuel a space in which to flourish. “I thought he would have learned better in a small environment, but with some faith in it,” she says, nodding to the ways Catholic schools blend education and values. That blend became even more important when Yadira discovered Archbishop Borders School, a school with a bilingual program
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“That was the opportunity,” she smiles. “A bilingual school—it’s a huge deal.”
Yadira’s son Emanuel is now in seventh grade, having been at Borders since pre-K4. Describing him brings a visible spark to Yadira’s eyes. “He’s amazing,” she says with a proud smile. “He’s very active. He loves pleasing people and being involved more now because he was shy back then. The change in Emanuel’s confidence is a testament to the nurturing environment of Archbishop Borders. From the shy boy who once hesitated to get involved, Emanuel has grown into a young leader, eager to participate in all aspects of school life.
One of Emanuel’s passions is music. “He plays the trumpet,” Yadira shares. “He actually told me that once he decided to play in church, he felt more comfortable playing in front of large groups.” That moment, Yadira explains, was significant for Emanuel—he now performs with the OrchKids program in Baltimore and continues to find joy in expressing himself through music. And it’s not just music that captures his interest. Emanuel’s love for geography is remarkable. “He knows every flag there is in the world,” Yadira says with a laugh. “He even draws maps… You show him an outline of a country, and he’ll tell you what’s north, south, east, and west.”
This love for learning and self-expression, nurtured in a small, supportive community, is precisely why Yadira made the sacrifices she has to keep Emanuel in Catholic school, and with the help of the Partners in Excellence (PIE) Scholarship Program, she has been able to continue giving Emanuel the education she believes he deserves. “If you really want to provide the best education for your child, it’s a sacrifice that a parent has to make,” she reflects. And while Yadira is willing to do whatever it takes, she knows not every family is in the same position. “I’ve seen parents that haven’t been able to [afford the cost of Catholic school tuition]… and it does impact the child a lot.”
For Yadira, the impact of Catholic education on Emanuel’s life has been profound. “The teachers and staff here—they’re like second parents to him,” she explains. “They’ve built his confidence… At one point, he was shy, but now it’s like, ‘Mom, I’m going to volunteer to play trumpet in Mass.’” That confidence, Yadira believes, would have been hard to foster in a larger, more impersonal school setting. Emanuel’s Catholic school not only nurtures his academic potential but also supports his personal and spiritual growth. “He’s just happy to be here,” Yadira says, her voice full of gratitude.
When asked what she would say to the donors who make the PIE scholarships possible, Yadira’s response is heartfelt. “We greatly appreciate the generosity… not just for my child but for other children, to give them the opportunity to excel,” she says. “It gives them hope.” Emanuel’s success is a living example of the power of that hope—a young boy developing his full innate talents, guided by faith, supported by community, and inspired by opportunities made possible through the kindness of others.
Emanuel dreams big—of becoming an architect, of traveling the world. And Yadira has no doubt that he will achieve whatever he sets his mind to. “He has a lot of ambition,” she says proudly. “He’s going to exceed.”
