I Turned My Life Around, by 2010 graduate Billie Pirruccello

In honor of our 50th, we are sharing the 2009 blog post, I Turned My Life Around, by 2010 C-School/Wayfinder graduate Billie Pirruccello.

I Turned My Life Around
by Billie Pirruccello

The day I came to The Community School was the day I turned my life around.  In the beginning, I thought that it would be a quick way to get a diploma, and in nine months I would leave just the way I had come in. I’ve been here for a very short period of time and already I feel and know that I am headed in the right direction. My life has changed drastically and I’ve learned so much since I’ve been at The Community School.

It’s shocking to sit back and think of my life now at The Community School because compared to before I am so much happier and doing what I want to do. I get up every morning and go to my internship at the Camden Public Library, which is nice because I’m learning to have a great work ethic, and I get satisfaction out of making my own money. I also have changed my attitude about school. Now I find it challenging and rewarding. This school really helps me to use my own mind, and get my ideas out of my head. Years ago, I never would have thought that I would be given a chance to learn about what I want to learn in high school.

I am given the privilege of being able create a system of academics that works for me and keeps me motivated toward furthering my education. At The Community School, they give us more than just an academic-based education. They show me what it’s like to live in the real world, and how to take care of myself when I won’t have my parents to look after me.

The people that work at The Community School are kind, generous, and all-around warm-hearted people. Seeing all they do for so many people, myself included, makes me want to be more selfless, and help out as much as I can. In addition, I am becoming a very independent person. I rely on myself more rather than relying on other people to do things for me. I know I still have work to do to better myself, but without this school it would have taken me longer to realize that I needed to change at all.

After all I’ve learned from The Community School, I think I’m ready to take the leap of going into college. I may be a little bit young to be graduating high school, but I feel like in these past four months I have matured exceedingly. I have gained so much independence so being on my own won’t be difficult, and I now know that won’t take getting a higher education for granted.