November 2007
At age 25, my life is on a good track. I am a top salesman for a national company, own two homes in Vancouver, WA and am engaged to be married in February. I am ranked nationally in the top 10% of triathletes in the country and hope to turn professional in the next couple of years.

But things were not always this good for me. I was raised by a single mom in a broken home. At a young age I was pretty much left to fend for myself and was a regular defendant in the juvenile court system by my freshman year in high school. I was considered “gang affiliated” and had charges ranging from stolen cars to 2nd degree robbery. I was also expelled from all Portland Public Schools and was a run-away teen living on the streets. At that time in my life I thought this was the “cool” thing to do.

After being arrested for the last time when I was 15, my probation officer recommended I apply to Open Meadow and that’s when things began to change for me. Holly Rosenblum, a teacher/advocate at Open Meadow High School, interviewed me, and we hit it off. I could tell immediately that she cared, and I knew that I would be judged by the potential I had and not by the mistakes I made in the past.

Over the next few years, Open Meadow proved to me that even if you have made mistakes in your life, it’s not too late to turn things around. My advocate Holly was there for me all the way and taught me a lot about the power of caring relationships.

Recently, Holly told me that she had sensed my intellectual curiosity and tremendous capability that could lead me towards a successful life. She never wavered in that belief. Shortly after enrollment at Open Meadow the courts put me into in-patient drug treatment. Holly immediately advocated that Open Meadow hold a spot open for me while I was away. This meant a lot to me since I saw how hard it was to get in and how many kids got turned away every admission session.

Something happened to me while I was in drug treatment. Holly’s belief in me and the spot waiting for me back at Open Meadow made me work hard in treatment; I completed a 9-12 month program in four months and returned to Open Meadow during October of my sophomore year determined to make up credits and graduate on time. I did not know it at the time, but my determination and support from the staff would help me graduate one year early.

Teachers did everything possible to help me find ways to make up credits including participating in extra classes and gaining PE credit in a boxing program at the community center. I worked hard and Open Meadow rewarded me; I was continually occupied and that helped me stay out of trouble. On bad days when I wanted to skip, I knew I would be missed and would have to explain why. The close relationships with teachers and the small classes worked for me.

I will never forget my graduation day. Holly introduced me to the audience as, “the one you would want your daughter to bring home!” She told me it was an honor to stand up there with me. Each graduate got a card signed by all staff. Teachers wrote the biggest compliments I had ever received. I still break out that card when things aren’t the best in my life and it helps me to know what I have in me and that things will be okay.

After a year at Oregon State followed by several short-term jobs, I landed a position as a salesman for a nationwide company. I quickly saw that hard work and determination in sales could pay off and lead into a lucrative career, just as the hard work and determination helped me catch up in school and graduate a year early.

One year into my new career I started making really good money and was not only one of the top salesmen in the company, but one of the top salesmen in the industry. Eventually the stress of making more money than any of my friends and family, combined with the stress put on me by my employer to maintain that high level of production, sent me spiraling into a nervous breakdown. I tried to run away as I had when I was younger. However, the prayers from all my family and loved ones and the knowledge I had gained from past experiences brought me back home after a few days.

Holly met with me when I returned. Our talks helped me to realize how many people really cared about me and loved me. Holly reminded me that even though you run your own life, what you do with your life affects so many others in countless ways.

I returned to my sales position and also found a passion in endurance sports. I have lost over 50 pounds in the last two years by regularly competing in triathlons and marathons. I am now in the best shape of my life (physically and mentally). I still work hard but realize that life isn’t all about work.

I know that Holly and Open Meadow staff will always be there for me as they are for so many youth.