Recovery high school set to hold 10th graduation ceremony

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Many high school seniors in the Indianapolis area will get their diplomas this weekend, but for one local school graduation is more than an academic accomplishment.

Hope Academy is the only recovery high school in the state and one of the few in the nation. It’s designed for students who struggle with drug or alcohol addiction.

“Many of our students have started using and abusing drugs at an early age — so 9, 10, 11, 12 is when it really kicks in,” said Linda Gagyi, principal of Hope Academy.

At Hope Academy the students study academics, but they’re also learning how to live life sober.

“Almost retrain their thinking, and giving them the skills to fill in the gap that have occurred in their substance abuse,” said Gagyi.

Teachers are recovery coaches with small classes no bigger than 12 students.

Carson Jackson is a student graduating Saturday. Jackson has attended Hope Academy for about two years, and has been clean for nine months.

“Nine months ago…my life was horrible,” said Jackson. “I never thought I’d make it to this point — I mean, happiness, a better life.”

Jackson said Hope Academy gave him the skills and resources he needed to start over.

“Public school wasn’t an option for me. Going there would have just made things worse for me…here I have a safe place to come to, where I won’t feel judged and I’ll be able to get my school work done,” said Jackson.

The school is inside Fairbanks Treatment Center.

About 140 students have made it through Hope Academy over the past 10 years.  Around 500 teens have attended the school at some point, but not every student graduates from Hope Academy. Some students do well enough to go back to traditional school.

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