Press Release
Proud Phoenix Academy Graduates Face The Future… Drug-Free
PHOENIX ACADEMY of NEW YORK in WESTCHESTER, June 27, 2006– Cheered on by teachers, counselors, family members and friends, 44 former high school dropouts officially dropped back in and reclaimed their lives – donning caps and gowns to receive their NYS Regents diplomas at a spirited graduation ceremony here today.
The students, most in their late teens and many referred by the courts for their substance abuse problems, had either dropped out of school or were performing well below grade level at they time they entered Phoenix Academy.
But yesterday, five of the students were recognized for having earned spots on Chancellor Joel Klein’s citywide honor roll – a distinction they accepted with pride.
“It’s the biggest thing in my life – so far,” beamed class valedictorian Mohsin Razak, who ran away from home when he was 16 and entered the Academy (after spending months on the streets and in a homeless shelter) with only two high school credits.
Mohsin plans to take courses in computer engineering and business administration over the summer and hopes to attend a City University of New York college in the fall. He said treatment at the Phoenix Academy made his education there possible.
“I learned how to express myself -- I learned how to ask questions,” he recalled. “It used to be that when I didn’t understand what was going on in school, it was easier to stay away and get high.”
“This is one of the few places within New York State where teenagers can triumph over substance abuse and improve their education,” said Phoenix Academy Managing Director Linda Kersey. “While the performance of our students would be impressive even in a traditional high school, we believe that it represents an especially significant achievement because many of our students have such large gaps in their educational background.”
Founded in 1981 as a partnership between Phoenix House and the NYC Department of Education, the Phoenix Academy of New York in Westchester is a fully accredited residential high school offering comprehensive substance abuse treatment. Phoenix House operates 11 Academies across the country.
The RAND Corporation, one of the nation’s most trusted research organizations, has confirmed the effectiveness of Phoenix House’s treatment for teens. A study by RAND, published in Psychology of Addictive Behaviors , found that teens in treatment at a Phoenix Academy demonstrated substantial reductions in drug use and improvement in psychological well-being – and that the Phoenix Academy outperformed other adolescent programs in these areas.
Phoenix House is the nation’s largest nonprofit provider of substance abuse treatment and prevention services, operating nearly 100 programs in nine states. Founded in 1967, Phoenix House currently cares for a population of more than 6,000 at residential centers for adults and adolescents, as well as outpatient, after school, and day programs.
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Media Contact
Chris Policano
(646) 505-2091
cpolicano@phoenixhouse.org
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