Indiana’s recovery high school for teens struggling with substance use disorder receives funding from Lilly Endowment to create an onsite workout facility for its students

Hope Academy has received a generous grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to purchase gym equipment for an onsite workout space. This new facility provides a variety of cardio and strength training equipment for teens participating in the recovery school’s Guiding Paths to Success (GPS) Program, which is offered during the summer and throughout the year during out-of-school times. Additionally, the new gym equipment will allow Hope Academy to add a physical education elective class to its curriculum.

Lilly Endowment made the grant through its Summer Youth Program Fund, which supports youth-serving organizations that provide summer enrichment and engagement programs for children and young people in Marion County.

With the new gym equipment, Hope Academy can enhance its health and wellness programming, which is a critical component of recovery. A recent study published in PLOS ONE Journal (2023) highlighted the significant benefits of regular physical activity for teens in recovery, including lowered substance use, decreased depressive symptoms, and improved physical health markers. The study also noted that exercise boosts self-efficacy, self-esteem, and self-confidence, which are essential protective factors against substance use.

“We are grateful for the support of Lilly Endowment and its commitment to investing in our students’ overall wellbeing,” shared Hope Academy Executive Director Rachelle Gardner. “The addition of a dedicated workout space will complement our efforts to educate and empower our students to develop healthy lifestyles that they can carry into adulthood.”

This project significantly enhances the Hope Academy GPS Program by allowing more frequent and accessible physical activity opportunities, regardless of weather conditions or transportation constraints. It will benefit not only the teens participating in the GPS Program during the summer but also those involved year-round and all students attending Hope Academy.

Hope Academy is one of only 44 Recovery Schools in the country and Indiana’s only fully accredited, tuition-free, public charter high school for teens in recovery from substance use disorders. Hope Academy is committed to providing a safe, supportive environment where students can focus on their recovery and academics.