Student Stories
Isabel F. came to us after being released from a substance abuse program in New Jersey. At the time, she didn’t have assistance from an appropriate mental health facility to help her transition back to her daily life as a student and as a teen mom. But the Passaic School District knew just the place, referring Isabel to High Point School to help her get back on her feet and back on track. Immediately upon enrollment here, she was given a thorough evaluation by a qualified psychiatrist, and a personalized instruction and support plan was created for her. Once Isabel was receiving the services and guidance she needed, she blossomed. She successfully completed a two-year shared-time program at Eastwick College, becoming trained in the health care industry—the career path she chose for herself—without accruing any additional post-secondary tuition. With the help of her home district and High Point, Isabel graduated from our program and is now happily working for an organization that assists disabled adults with ADL skills. Even more, she’s now a proud mother of two who is equipped with a profession that will allow her to provide for her family and continue thriving in her own personal development.
In the Driver’s Seat of His Own Life
When we first met Melvin J. as a young teenager, he had very low self-esteem in his out-of-district educational setting, he did not believe he’d ever amount to anything, and he felt confined by barriers around him and limited by preconceived notions about him. The Jersey City School District astutely and accurately identified his issues, particularly with anger and with behavioral disruptions, and referred him to High Point, where he has spent all of his high school years. At one point, he’d made so much progress here that he was allowed to return to his mainstream high school, but he chose not to. That’s because our program has proved to be the ideal place for Melvin to develop healthy schoolwork habits, learn to apply himself academically and behaviorally, and explore and achieve his potential. As an upperclassman, Melvin expressed interest in participating in our vocational training partnership with Lincoln Tech, and he’s currently attending the automotive program there, with plans to become ASE certified. Melvin has worked diligently to overcome his challenges, and his hard work is paying off!
