I’m Ali Tozer, founder of Rising Scholars Foundation, and I want to share the heart behind the work we do.
I began my journey in education when I graduated college at just 20 years old> I fell into the position of a teacher working with underserved youth. From the very start, I saw what students could accomplish—not because life was easy, but because someone believed in them and gave them the support they needed.
I’ve had the incredible privilege of witnessing students defy the odds when they’re given the right supports:
- A student who entered my 8th grade classroom speaking no English—yet passed the science FCAT exam by the end of the year.
- A student living in a home with no food, electricity, or running water—who showed up every day eager to learn and was academically brilliant.
- A student from a family of undocumented immigrants—who pursued dual enrollment, graduated high school with her associate’s degree, and changed her family’s trajectory.
- A student who lost her mother to a drug overdose in middle school—who I proudly watched walk the stage at her 8th grade and high school graduations as an honors student, then again at Florida State University with a bachelor’s degree in just three years, and again two years later with her master’s degree.
- A student new to this country, left homeless after his family was deported and at risk of not graduating due to a lack of meeting required test scores—who still found a way to walk across the graduation stage.
These are not isolated miracles. These are what happens when students are seen, supported, and empowered.
That’s why I founded Rising Scholars Foundation—to make sure more students like these have access to the tutoring, test prep, and college guidance they need to reach their full potential. Our mission is to provide those services to students from low-income, underrepresented, and at-risk backgrounds who often get overlooked.
We’ve just launched our GoFundMe to raise scholarship funds for the 2025–2026 school year. Every dollar goes toward one-on-one support, SAT/ACT prep, and helping students realize that college is not out of reach—it’s just waiting for them.
If you’ve ever believed in the power of education to change a life, please support or share our campaign. Together, we can give more students the future they deserve.
Donate Here: https://gofund.me/31999a18