“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I- Sophomore year resumed from Spring Break and I began my first day at the Valparaiso Alternative School. I wasn’t a bad kid, nor was I failing every class, I just needed a different learning environment. Suddenly, after my first week at the Alternative school, I was actually looking forward to going to school each morning. I was no longer thinking of an excuse to tell my parents I needed to stay home from school. My teachers were very nice and the smaller class sizes gave them the time to give me help with the things I was struggling with. I felt like the teachers actually cared about me. I wasn’t just another student out of the 300 they had that year. If I was having a bad day, my English teacher Mrs. Graessle could tell. Even Mrs. Spears, the school principal, could walk in the room and notice what kind of a mood I was in. When they asked what was wrong I knew they really cared about what I had to say. Math, to me, is a very difficult subject. In traditional school I was terrible at math. I would try to do my homework every night so I could get credit for having it completed, but it would never be done correctly. When test time came, I would almost always fail. At the Alternative School, Mr. Leahy, my math teacher actually sits down and can help me with every problem every step of the way until I can understand how the problem was solved. Mr. Leahy will come around just to ask if his students need help with anything. Mrs. Graessle will also take the time to do the same. It’s great to be at a school where the staff care so much about their students. Making friends at the Alternative School was easier also. The students there aren’t judgmental either. When people talk about “those kids that go to the Alternative School” others get scared. They think we’re criminals, they don’t understand that everyone chooses a different path for his or her own reasons. You don’t have to be a teenage criminal to attend the Alternative School. I’ve met the most amazing people at this school. They never judged me, or criticized me, or spread rumors about me. They are my true friends. Not only do I have wonderful teachers, I also met a lot of terrific people. So yes I did take “the road less traveled,” but it “has made ALL the difference.”
Jamie Babeaux |