July 2022
Greetings!

On June 8th, we celebrated graduation with our class of 2022 ! This year, TROY School had nine graduates who are well prepared for whatever life brings next! The evening was a wonderful celebration of the major accomplishment these students attained, as well as a thoughtful reminder of how far they have come during their time at TROY School. As part of our graduation ceremony, English teacher Stacy Walker addressed grads and families sharing personal stories about times she spent with the graduates over the past year. As part of the address, Walker also shared several essays written by graduates as part of their final English project while at TROY. Their essays expressed lessons learned while at TROY along with advice they would give to future students or their younger selves. Below are two excerpts from those essays with graduates sharing the impact TROY School made in their lives.

A wealth of beautiful memories were made with these students. The faculty and staff are truly grateful for the time we shared with them and wish them well as they head out to make their mark on the world ! Congratulations to our class of 2022 !!
Letter to a future TROY student.
(essay #1)

Compared to when I first came to TROY, I have come a long way. The teachers are great and have helped me learn new things not only about school but about myself. Even though you may think the teachers are annoying, they know what is best for you. You should always try to keep up on your work so you don't get behind even though you may not feel motivated to think about the end goal and reaching the end of the tunnel.
You may feel overwhelmed at times. Just always take a deep breath and remember what you are capable of. I came to TROY because other schools didn't work out for me. Coming to school at TROY was the best decision I ever made. Now I will have a high school diploma after working so hard through all the challenges I went through. The teachers don't only care about your work, but they care about you as an individual and check on your feelings. They will always be there for you and will do their best to understand what you are going through. TROY is an opportunity that not everyone gets so make the best out of it !
Letter to younger self. (essay #2)


I know that you think you have everything under control, but you don't. There are certain things I have learned that you should know and use to help you along the way.
One is, change can be a good thing. Change is going to stimulate your life. Take that step forward even though sometimes you don't feel like it.
Secondly, self-awareness is something you need to have. Build your strengths and improve on your weaknesses.
Thirdly, drinking and doing drugs will destroy your life. Your worst decisions were made when you were doing these. Do everything you can not to go down those paths.
Finally, admit when you are wrong because denying it will make things much worse in the long run. It takes courage to admit when you are wrong, but it is worth it in the end. And, don't be afraid to make mistakes. Making mistakes is how you learn and how you will find your way through life.
All of these things won't be easy but it is the best way to live life and they will help you get to where you want to go. Don't give up ! You are strong ! You are going to make it!
You asked. We listened. Get ready for Whitley County's first MUSIC FESTIVAL !! TROY School is thrilled to be hosting our BAND TOGETHER MUSIC FESTIVAL on Saturday, August 27th @ Mizpah Shrine Horse Patrol Grounds in Columbia City !

The bands are lined up, the food trucks are prepping and we want YOU to be there ! Bring your family and your camp chairs or blanket and plan to spend the evening with us listening to fantastic music all while helping us raise scholarship funds for TROY students.

Tickets can be purchased online at www.troyalternativeschool.com or by calling TROY School at 260.248.8787.

We can't wait to see YOU there ! Let's BAND TOGETHER to support TROY School !
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