The Allen Family from Valley Christian Schools
September 24, 2025
Meet the Allen Family and two of the four kids, Brandon & Rylann who are in 9th and 7th Grade at Valley Christian High School & Junior High in Chandler, AZ. Their mom, Shannon, shared a little bit about the family’s situation and how school choice has had a positive impact on their family.
From Shannon:
Our son, Brandon, has a rare genetic disorder that caused a learning disability, so academics have always been significantly more challenging for him than his peers. From a young age, it also impacted him socially, behaviorally, and at times physically. We struggled for several years identifying what we were observing and experiencing in and out of the classroom. His unique profile, test results, and seemingly typical outside appearance stumped each psychologist we met with, and we were often left with more questions than answers. After multiple tests, evaluations, and tears along the way, we were encouraged to pursue genetic testing and that’s when we finally gained some clarity. We learned he has CACNA1A-Related Disorder, which is rare and can cause neurological and developmental disorders. When it came time to start middle school, we wanted to find the best option to support not just his academic needs, but also social, emotional, and spiritual. We wanted him to be seen as more than just a standardized test score and be in an environment where he had more opportunity to thrive. We also knew that as he got older, his learning gaps could become more noticeable and potentially lead to problems with peers or being easily influenced in a negative way. As a family of six (they have twin sisters who are in fourth grade) and with my husband being a first responder and myself working part time, private school never seemed within reach for us, but I’m so thankful for a friend who shared incredible student tuition organizations, like the Arizona Leadership Foundation who helped and continue to help make it possible. Not only do they offer need-based scholarships, but they also offer specific scholarships for kids with disabilities that help cover required additional tuition fees.
As our kids were starting to grow up and become more influenced by the world around them, we wanted them to attend a school that would echo the same foundation we are working on at home. We chose Valley Christian Schools for their solid foundation of faith, core values, their commitment to raise up young men and women of character to be leaders for the next generation. In addition, their specialized academic support, VINE program, which allows for smaller classrooms, more individualized support, accommodations, and targeted goals for students with special circumstances, like our son was a driving factor. They also have athletic opportunities for both kids and their passion for education, service, community, and personal growth made this a great fit for our family.
One of the things we like best is the genuine investment of teachers and staff who humbly serve, teach, encourage, challenge, hold accountable, and pour into the lives of our kids. We also love their strong emphasis on family, community, and partnership. They strive to unite all grade levels and campuses through special events like Homecoming, spirit weeks, worship nights, as well as provide resources and tools for parents like Parent University.
Since attending Valley Christian, Brandon has had better report cards than he ever had throughout his elementary years, and he is starting the first month of high school off strong. Brandon’s favorite subjects are PE and Math. Brandon is involved with Club baseball as well as playing at Valley Christian. He also enjoys recreational basketball and Youth ministry at his church.
Rylann received the Trojan Award of Academic Excellence for maintaining a GPA above 3.8 in her first year at Valley Christian Junior High last year. Rylann’s favorite subject is Bible. Rylann is a competitive swimmer and plays volleyball. She played soccer and ran cross country at VC in 6th grade and is currently playing volleyball for her 7th grade year there. She is also involved in the youth ministry at church and is a member of the National Charity League.
We could not be more grateful for the opportunity Arizona Leadership Foundation has provided for our family! Through their scholarships, our older two children have been able to attend a nationally ranked private Christian school where they are thriving, something we could never have dreamed of or afforded on our own. Our lives and their futures have been tremendously impacted in such a positive way. Despite our son’s learning difficulties, he continues to persevere through adversity and has a love for life, people, sports, and adventure. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts Arizona Leadership Foundation!
Renee Wozniak who teaches VINE Bible and English had this to say about Brandon. “Brandon brings curiosity, work ethic, and a contagious smile to the classroom. The questions and ideas he shares, especially in Bible class, are evidence of his strong desire to learn and to grow in his faith. Outside of the classroom, Brandon jumped right in as a freshman and demonstrated his school spirit by participating in every single day of our recent spirit week and attending extracurricular events. He is community-focused with a heart for the “family” that is Valley Christian. It is a blessing to serve as Brandon’s teacher, and I can’t wait to see what God does in his life over these next four years at Valley Christian High School, both academically and spiritually!” And Bethany Davis, ELA Valley Christian Junior High had this to add, “I had the pleasure of teaching Rylann during her sixth-grade year. She is a dedicated student with an amazing work ethic and always puts forth her best effort. She is kind, caring, and a friend to everyone.”
About Valley Christian:
Valley Christian Schools offers students in kindergarten through 12th grade big school opportunities in a small school environment across our two East Valley Campuses. Established in 1982, VCS provides nearly 1,100 Kindergarten, elementary, junior high, and high school students a distinctly Christian education with excellent academics, championship athletics, award-winning fine arts, cutting-edge STEM programs, and a supporting community. The mission of Valley Christian Schools is to equip students to be culture changers for Christ by delivering academic excellence, facilitating spiritual growth, and building lifelong community. Valley Christian is ranked as one of the Top 50 Christian high schools in the U.S., one of the Top Workplaces in Arizona for the past three years and is an “A” rated school according to Niche.com. Visit valleychristianaz.org to find out more.
