The foundation for our education programs at Capo's

For any reader out there who doesn't know about the Capo's Scholars program, this blog will explain what the Capo's Scholars Program is and how it works. But, first I want to give a little background. I (Amy) am a first generation college student. Neither of my parents finished high school and no one in my immediate family attended or completed a four year college. I knew I wanted to go to college since I was a very small child and my parents, especially my mother, instilled in me the importance of a higher education. After finishing undergrad and then grad school I worked in the private sector for a while but soon began working in the world of non-profits and the importance of education was reaffirmed to me every day. I was blessed to have the opportunity to be a program and grants manager with a grant known as GearUp for 6 years. The purpose of that program was to increase the number of students in a cohort attending a post-secondary institution. The program was successful and it changed my life in so many ways. I still cherish the students I worked with and though they are adults and in the workforce now, I always will think of them as "my kids". After GearUp I worked at a local private college as the director of campus service programs where I saw how one college can change lives and impact a community. I left Emory to start this business with Gill, my husband and Capo's co-owner. We had been planning Capo's for over three years, the entire time I was at Emory, but the timing didn't seem to fit. Through divine providence, we were shown that this was our time and we embarked on Capo's.

For Gill, without putting words in his mouth, I know education has been important in his life. His mother and sister were both elementary teachers and his mother became an elementary principal. His father worked in higher education. Gill attended Shenandoah Conservatory where he will tell you he uses the education he received every day in one form or another.

I tell you this to lay a backdrop for the Capo's Scholars Program. They say you can't know where you are going till you know where you have been. Because education is so important to me personally (and to Gill) it became on part of our founding principals. We set up the store to offer different education opportunities throughout the year. These include free and for fee programs.

Capo's Scholars Program is part of our education foundation. We seek to provide a little extra help to aspiring college students in the form of a $250 scholarship. Currently we give two per year. As we grow, we hope to give out many, many more.

There will be other posts about our education programs and Capo's scholars but now you know why this is so important to us here and why we seek to provide educational opportunities to all who come through our doors.