Alex, 17

I heard about Eastside from my older brother who attended here. My first impression of EA was that it was small. You really got to know the teachers because they went above and beyond their job descriptions and really cared about your life. I am close to a lot of the teachers here. They care about me and my family. I feel more comfortable here.

Every student is required to go to counseling. This year I wanted to utilize the opportunity and take it seriously. It has helped me work through a lot of things. The housing program has been good for me. I have changed a lot. I think I’ve grown up since being in the houses. Now, I can confront problems and deal with them in a healthy way. Recovery classes have been eye-opening. You get to hear about other student’s stories. You talk about things that happened when you were younger and learn about how that may be impacting you today. You also learn about a variety of different things like sleep, gratitude, food, addiction, relationships, finances, etc., and how those things impact your mental health. I also have been meeting with a mentor since last year—I really appreciate him. We have a lot of good conversation about the future, about careers, and life in general.

Since starting at EA my time has been good. I’ve stopped drinking, got my license, got a car, and now I have my future planned out. My goal is to graduate from Eastside Academy in 2022 with a good GPA. Afterwards, I want to enlist in the Navy and become a diver. If it weren’t for Eastside I would have been kicked out of my house, probably would have dropped out of school, and would still be drinking. I feel like this school really does make a difference. I’ve never felt more cared for.

You have made this possible by being a student sponsor- Thank you!