Meet Hope Academy Alumna Courtney. She attended Hope Academy from 2015-2017, and she now has five years of sobriety! Of all her Hope Academy memories, she cherishes graduation the most.

“My favorite Hope Academy memory would have to be when I walked at graduation. My family cheered, some teachers even cheered, and, in that moment, I felt so much love and support,” said Courtney. “I knew that no matter where I was going or headed from there, that those bonds that I had formed would always be such a big part of me and my life.”

For Courtney, her time at Hope was much more than just receiving a diploma, it was an opportunity to learn new skills and build upon a foundation for a new life in recovery.

“It’s so much more than a school. It gave me a second chance, taught me hard work and determination, how to get through life not only drug free, but also how to be happy and content doing it,” said Courtney.

Today, Courtney is a Senior Lab Technician at an engineering firm. She has a three-year-old son who is the joy of her life. She loves that because of her recovery, her son gets to see his mother be healthy and sober. Courtney and her son recently moved into a new house, and she is taking life one day at a time.

If there’s one thing she wants current students to know, it’s this:

“It gets better! You’re so much more than your addiction,” said Courtney. “Your life is worth so much more than being a statistic and you have the tools to make your own path where YOU want it to go. This is your chance at a new story and a new life. Take it and make it your own.”