BEVERLY — North Shore Recovery High School’s Class of 2024 may have been small, but the 11 graduating students nevertheless had a major influence on their school community.
On Wednesday, students, faculty, and family filled the Second Congregational Church in Beverly to celebrate the achievements of the graduating class at North Shore Recovery High School – a Beverly-based school for students with a diagnosed substance use disorder.
The graduates included Jaiden Alcamisi from Haverhill, Bella Love Boren from Salem, Kenneth D. Cribbie from Wakefield, Codie Hailson from Haverhill, Jasper Jennings-Jones from Beverly, Jason C. Jepson from Ipswich, Aidan Sean Joseph Mayerick from Danvers, Mason Miller from Lynn, Erin Jean Nichols from Saugus, Lucia Prieto from Lynn, and Aaliyah Sarat-Menezes from Saugus.
Each of the 11 graduates were introduced by teachers or staff members and then given an opportunity to recounted their experiences at the school as well as their own personal journeys of recovery.
Cribbie spoke about how when he first came to the school in 2022 he had no intention of graduating. However, once he began to open up to and interact with teachers and the wider school community, he found there were many who genuinely wanted to help him succeed.
“When I started going to school I noticed that there were real people with real experiences around me, who would listen and help me with my situations, whether its with education, my drug issues, or even just my personal interests,” he said. “This school is more than a community, it’s a family.”
Alcamisi, described by his science teacher Ellen Ford as a “wonderful, kind, mature, and very bright young man who has come a long way over the past four years,” took the opportunity to thank the many staff members and faculty, from his math teacher to bus driver, who always provided a listening ear and a place to cool off when he needed it.
“After talking with them, I always left feeling better than when I went in,” Alcamisi said.
Receiving straight A’s and high honors for his last semester at the school, guidance counselor Maureen Sullivan described Hailson as someone who succeeds at everything that he puts his mind to.
“I want to thank you for giving us another chance at a better tomorrow,” Hailson said to his teachers.
Jepson reflected on his experience at the school, going through profound changes from making no effort to socialize with others, to overcoming his social anxiety and opening up about his life and learning to ask for help.
“This rather drastic change did not happen overnight. I used to think that treatment did nothing for me, but it taught me to start talking about my life and experiences, which made it possible for me to be more open,” he said.
Mayerick described himself as someone who did not advocate for himself and lacked confidence, something which he was able to overcome in his time at the school.
“When I was first changing schools I was excited but nervous- part of me didn’t want to go and leave my life behind at my old school,” he said. “But I want to give a shoutout to my parents for insisting I take this opportunity back when I didn’t know how to speak up for myself and address my goals.”
Miller also went through drastic changes throughout his time at the school, described by recovery coach coordinator Tara Briggs as growing from a “fresh, loud, obnoxious, yet hilarious teenager, into a mature, respectful, insightful, and still hilarious gentleman.”
“I lost a lot of people, but it does make you stronger and makes you push harder for your hopes and dreams. I can’t even put it into words how much you guys have done for me,” Miller said.
Described by the school’s director, Michelle Lipinski, as a strong, artistic, opinionated woman who protects the underdog at any cost, Nichols endeared herself to many teachers and fellow students who were going through similar experiences.
“All the positive energy everyone was putting out found its way back to me,” she said. “I didn’t give up on myself, even when I really wanted to.”
Prieto, described by guidance counselor Maureen Sullivan as polite student with a gentle spirit, as well as the class’s “resident fashionista,” was commended for her dedication to her education, attending classes regularly and doing her best to understand the material even in subjects she isn’t a fan of such as math.
“I’m really glad that I got to spend my last year of high school at Northshore Recovery, it was a long and difficult journey to graduation,” Prieto said.
Sullivan commended Sarat-Menezes for her maturity, saying that if it was up to her, she would skip right over high school and start working.
“Thank you North Shore Recovery High School for not being a normal school, and for dealing with some of the best and craziest kids,” she said. “I can’t wait to see where we all end up next.”
Michael McHugh can be contacted at mmchugh@northofboston.com or at 781-799-5202