By Ali G.

When I accepted the reality that I would graduate high school six months late in order to complete the eighteen months it would take for me to get my life and my program in order at the Family Foundation School, I thought it was a given that I would be holding off on beginning my college career. What I didn’t account for was the opportunity to be a part of The Bridge program.

Two days a week, I, along with five other students, get the amazing chance to take classes at Broome Community College in Binghamton. Stephen, Conor, Noel, Chris, Lucas and I each take either four or three classes, a full course load, as well as maintaining an internship position at the Family School. Receiving dual credit for these college classes is an amazing chance for me to be able to compensate for my substandard high school GPA, having spent three years of my public high school career sleeping on my desk, cheating, drinking during school and getting kicked out of class. It’s also a great way to transition back into the “real” world, figuring out how to integrate the principles I’ve learned at the Family School in another setting, where not everybody is a “program person”, so to speak.

Focusing on school, work, program and a little bit of fun is definitely a challenge, but it’s nothing compared to the balancing act I’ll be facing when I have to live on my own, pay rent, hold a job, and eventually, support a family. Practicing and honing the life skills I’m learning, as a part of the Bridge Program is only the beginning of a long road to recovery that I know will last a lifetime.

(Editors note: The Family Foundation School learned this week that the Bridge students together achieved a 3.91 GPA the summer sessions!)

By Ali G.

Along with the new semester comes a new season of soccer at The Family Foundation School. The boys’ and girl’s soccer teams have already had their first scrimmages. The boys’ team pushed through to the end and came up victorious, but the girls’ team played their hearts out and fall short of the win this time.

Last year, the boys’ team made it all way to Regionals, led by coaches Larry Patrisso and Carlton Williams, so this year’s boys have big cleats to fill. Returning players and seniors Lucas V-P and Stephen R. are confident in their boys’ ability to rise to the top. The girls’ and boys’ teams practice every afternoon seventh and eighth period.

The girls’ team, coached by Debbi Knack and Katie Scutt, especially focuses on running drills, running up to fifteen “hills” in a practice, which means running up the steep incline that separates the upper field from the lower field. Returning player and team captain Kyra L. admits, “I used to grumble and complain about running hills, but now that I’m getting stronger and faster, I’m up to the challenge!” The girls’ team, led by Kyra and returning player, intern Liz O., are all improving every day.

In fact, this cheerful, optimistic and hard working attitude is a great representation of the good sportsmanship of both the boys’ and girls’ teams this season! Soon we will be seeing student who are caught up in all their work attending home games, cheering on the players. Let’s wish the best of luck to both of the teams.