Meet Jade, Brianna, Nicole and Devon!

Finding My Way
By Jade, Class of 2016

Wayfinder has helped me achieve so much in my life that I didn't even know I was capable of. Before Wayfinder I was a dropout and had nothing going for my or my child's future. During my time in the program, I was offered a lot of encouragement from the teachers. They always helped me achieve the goals I set.

In 2017, after 3 years in the program, I graduated with my high school diploma. I achieved many goals that lead me to where I am today. In March 2019, I enrolled in a CNA class and got my certification and in May I got my CRMA certificate. I was employed at an assistant living facility but recently took a full-time position as a CNA at Eastport Memorial Nursing Home.

I live in Indian Township. One of my favorite experiences in Passages was being involved with different events happening in the surrounding communities. Through my years in Passages I accomplished a lot of things. My teachers always gave me the best support and most importantly, they always believed in me."

I Am Not a Statistic
By Brianna, Class of 2018

 “I’m worried about you. Statistics show kids who come from a home like you drop out of high school. Not to mention your parents’ substance abuse issues put you at an even higher risk for not graduating.”

 I remember clear as day sitting across from the school counselor as he told me this. I went to his office looking for help with my grades. I couldn’t believe it. All I could think was, “But I’m not a statistic!”

 I was so upset and lost all hope that I could be successful and graduate high school and go to college. I thought he was supposed to believe in me and not say those kinds of things. He knew what I’d been through and how hard I worked just to get to where I was. 

Parents often tell their children, “You worry about being the child, and I'll worry about being the adult.” In my home growing up the roles were reversed. It was just me and my dad. He struggled with substance abuse issues after breaking his back in 2005. By 12 I was writing out bills, grocery shopping, making dinner and cleaning the house.

I struggled a lot academically. This was not because I didn’t understand the work, but because a lot of days school wasn’t my first priority. Taking care of my dad was. That’s why the school counselor’s words hurt so much.

All I could wonder is how it could it be that my parents’ bad choices decided my fate. He didn’t know everything about my life, what it was like to live with and love an addict. No one can ever understand the mind of an addict unless they’ve been an addict or lived with or loved an addict.

If I could work as a social worker and make a difference for one person, then that would be good enough for me. I want to be different. I want children and teens that I work with to know that they don’t have to accept their “Fate” as determined by their parents. I won’t let them believe that their future is determined by their past. I want them to know that even though life dealt them a bad hand they can still come out on top.

After finding out I was pregnant, I moved out of my dad’s apartment. My daughter, Isabelle Grace Merrill, gives me the strength and motivation to be a better person and to be the mom I wish I had. She makes me see that I can’t let my past make me bitter, only better. She is my daily reminder that I am not a statistic.

I started the Passages Program for parenting teens through Wayfinder Schools this past fall with just three credits and am on track to graduate this June. I am not a statistic. I don't have to be a dropout or a drug addict because that's who my parents were. Being a mother has made me more protective of children. I don’t want to see them suffer and have people in and out of their lives. I want them to have stability. 

I’m more determined than ever to make a difference. I want to work with children and teens facing the same challenges that I did growing up. I will show them that they not only can be just as successful as anyone else, but that they deserve that better life. With me as their counselor they will know that someone understands that behind every transcript is not just grades, but a story.

My Time in Passages
By Nicole, Class of 2019

Throughout my time in the public school system, I struggled. Middle school and high school were very hard for me because I wasn’t getting the one-on-one teaching that I needed. I remember sitting at my desk and listening to the teacher while she explained our next lesson. When she was finished telling us what to do, I remember looking around the room and everyone started to work on the assignment or project with no hesitation. I was just sitting quietly confused. I’ve always known I had some kind of learning disability but having to go up to my teacher’s desk and ask her to explain it to me again didn’t make me feel good about myself.  

After failing most of my high school courses because I believe I didn’t have the right instruction for me, nor the motivation to ask for help, I thought I would never graduate. I finally lost all hope when I found out I was pregnant my junior year. I began to think to myself that now there was no way I could graduate. When it was time for my class to walk down the aisle and receive their diplomas, I felt so much sadness that I couldn’t be up there with them that I fell into more of a depression.

Having lost all hope of getting my diploma, I found out about Passages at Wayfinder Schools from a past graduate. She explained to me what it was all about and said how wonderful it was. At the time the Passages Program was just for teen moms that needed that extra help to push them to get their diploma, so I thought it might be a good fit for me. I gave them a call, and sure enough they brought me in with open arms knowing all my struggles. I got assigned to Cindy, and I’m so glad that she became my teacher. I finally had that one-on-one instruction that I've always known I needed.

I had my first daughter, Adelynn, September 8, 2016, two weeks before I became part of the Passages Program. As excited as I was to start Passages, life was a struggle, and it was hard to adjust to a newborn baby and balancing out all my emotions. Cindy made it very easy for me to get work done by taking the baby, and if I had any questions she’d be right there if I needed her. I started the Program with full force, but unfortunately life got the best of me and it became too overwhelming so I fell out for a while.

In November 2017 I met Kaleb and my life started to even out and get a lot better. I was finally stable and started to conquer my schoolwork again. By working very hard and having the support from my teacher and my loving family, I finished all my core skills just before my second daughter was born. Briella Grace Campbell was born February 19, 2019. While being pregnant with my second child, my personal goal was to get all my core skills done before she was born, that way I could focus on my final Passage Project. It has taken so much weight off my shoulders because I know how hard it is to get school work done with one child, let alone two.

During my time enrolled in Passages I have met so many wonderful people and met other moms that were going through the same stuff I was. I have done things in this program that I thought I would never get a chance to do such as getting CPR certified. I am grateful that the core skills are based on things I need to know and learn rather than things I wouldn’t use in my daily life. Being in this program has made me a better mother by learning about the different stages in childhood development and parenting skills. I feel very prepared for my future with two daughters, knowing what is normal and knowing how to talk to my children about personal things when the time comes.

The workshops are awesome because they let us connect and learn from each other. It is also great to get everyone together so the children can play. One of my favorite workshops was going to Hope Orchards and picking apples. It is also awesome that the school is able to provide meals during the workshops knowing that we have hungry children. The program makes sure every meal and snack they provide is nutritious and we are always provided the recipe after the workshops. Recently, Wayfinder School’s midcoast hub has become a food pantry for Passages students in our region. We are given a box of food every month and it has helped my family out a lot and everything they give us is healthy!

I am so grateful for this program and my amazing teacher, Cindy. Cindy not only is my teacher but we have developed a relationship on another level beyond school. She has been such a big part of my life and my kid’s lives for these past 3 years. She has been so patient and understanding with me and it has helped me through this whole process in many ways. Her support is beyond amazing!

Without this program there would be no way I would have received a high school diploma. If I were to change one thing, I wish I hadn’t taken a break, because I would have finished in two years, not three. Graduating makes me feel great about myself because it’s honestly the first important thing I have accomplished my whole life.

Opening Doors for My Future
By Devon, Current Student

 When my fiancé and I found out we were pregnant we tried to attend the local public high schools’ alternative program, but because of bullying in our situation, it was not a good fit.

Then we found out about Wayfinder Schools and how much this could benefit us with getting to where we wanted to be. My fiancé started Wayfinder Schools first. I saw how that was benefiting her and it made me want to enter the program as well. I was 19 and had left off in 10th grade. Since being in Wayfinder, my fiancé has graduated from the program with her high school diploma, which has made me want to pursue getting mine as well when I never thought I would get another chance at it.

 Wayfinder schools has opened a lot of doors for me and my future. I have been in the program for two years now and have had a job and juggled school and the baby with our own home. Beyond regular academics, some of the other things from this program that have helped me in my life would be budgeting, home safety, learning how my child is going to develop, and conflict resolution.

 A big part of being able to maneuver all of the different struggles in life and school would be my fantastic teacher Cathy being very supportive and pushing me to get through to graduation. Because I have this opportunity to graduate from Wayfinder, I can see myself moving on to get training or even go on to college to become a dental assistant. Now I have the confidence that I can go further in my life. All of this would not have been possible without my fiancé and Wayfinder Schools being such a strong support system. 

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