Hope Academy, a charter school has been offering services for teens struggling with addiction. Operating out of Fairbanks Addiction Treatment Center in Indianapolis for 10 years, the unrivaled school conducts typical classes such as math, English and art for these teens.
After getting out of treatment for drug and alcohol abuse, Avalon Dugan had an opportunity to go back to the mainstream high school where she spent her freshman year. However, she opted to enrol in a tiny high school situated on the campus of a rehabilitation facility and it was probably the best decision she could make as enrolling with the school for kids in recovery has helped her stay sober for more than a year.
Dugan initially had to cope with relapse after she got out of rehab. However, thanks to Hope Academy's close-knitted community as well as regular drug testing, she found it nearly impossible to get away with her drug use, reports The Atlantic.
While teachers at larger schools don't really notice one kid out of about 300 students walking through a hallway, Dungan said, there are several people in recovery that work at Hope Academy, making it easier for them to pick up things as they were there too at one point.
There are about 30 recovery high schools like Hope Academy across the country. These recovery high schools offer one-of-a-kind approach to help students like Avalon Dugan stay sober and graduate from high school.
But apparently not enough support is provided to these schools.
According to a report on Education Week, Madison-based Horizon High School that aims at educating students who are at least 30 days sober, may be compelled to close citing financial difficulties.
According to school board president Michael Christopher, the school is slated to face a deficit of $10,500 every month in the upcoming school year unless it stops offering therapeutic services.
Although things do not seem to be going Horizon's way, the school received contributions from an individual supporter of the school, the Madison South Rotary Club as well as the American Family Foundation.
No doubt this well help "but we have a long way to go," Christopher noted.
