Inspire was my happy place. Most people dread their high school years but for me, it was a time when I felt safe to dream big and push myself past my comfort zone. The teachers believe in the students and the students believe in the school. The passion is unmatched and produces talented artists, scientists, writers, and above all kind and compassionate individuals.

Danielle Alexich was the English and Creative Writing teacher when I attended Inspire. Looking back, she had the biggest impact on my life. Not only was she an amazing person but a great teacher. I never liked reading OR writing until taking classes with her. She made things interesting in a way no other English teacher had. I went on to college loving reading and especially writing, which led me to a major in Communication studies.  It’s hard to pick one favorite part of Inspire, but I would say the connections teachers created. You really could tell they wanted students to succeed. They would go out of their way to help a student and that is something you don’t often see at other schools. Inspire definitely prepared me for life after high school. I came out of high school a well rounded person who could juggle getting good grades, being in musicals, and having fun whilst creating connections. Students at Inspire have a lot on their plates and learning how to do that in high school sets you up for an easier transition into college and a career.

It has been over five years since I graduated from Inspire. Since graduating, I obtained both my bachelor’s in religious studies and my master’s in public affairs from Brown University. I’ve traveled to ten different countries on three different continents. I spent a year of undergrad studying abroad at Oxford where I spent countless hours studying monastic-like in library enclaves and exploring the alleyways that inspired C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkein, and Lewis Carroll. I’ve practiced Zen Buddhism in monasteries throughout Japan, marveled at giraffes and elephants as they stroll across the plains of Kenya, and worked in a skyscraper in Manhattan. I am unbelievably blessed to have had all of these opportunities. Especially to have had them as a first-generation and low-income student. I credit Inspire for building in me the confidence that I can do the improbable, for teaching me that failure is only possible when one refuses to try again, and for showing me that a caring community is an important part of learning and growth. In these exciting years of change and of travel, I have found myself missing Inspire. More particularly, the sense of community I felt while a student there. Inspire is undeniably special. I learned many things, both from my peers and my teachers, that I carry with me each day. While a student, I often found myself humbled by the sheer diversity of talent that surrounded me. I was also humbled by the fact that I owed much of my success and my inspiration to the community of friends––both peers and teachers––who supported, helped, and encouraged me as I struggled through APUSH, memorized derivatives for Calculus, sought to qualify as a mediocre ceramics student, and applied to colleges. Inspire, to me, is special because it constitutes a community whose ethos is one of mutual support, collaboration, and concern. Inspire is a place that encourages and embraces a diversity of expression: artistic, scientific, funky, fun, poetic, musical…the list could go on. My experiences at Inspire have dictated how I have sought to build a sense of community while away from home and will dictate how I hope to build community in the future. Going to Inspire never felt like a chore nor a requirement, but, rather, a privilege and a joy. Anna Lenaker has written a book titled "Able To Be Otherwise" [button link="https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/able-to-be-otherwise-by-anna-lenaker#/" color="purple" newwindow="yes"] PURCHASE ANNA'S BOOK[/button]

A teacher who made a tremendously positive impact on my life was Mr. Hopkins. He taught English and was my advisor as well. I still talk about literature and plays with him whenever I visit.  My favorite part of Inspire were the performance opportunities. I took advantage of all the opportunities I got to be on stage and it worked out well for me.  Inspire definitely prepared me for my particular career path. I was ready for the expectations of a conservatory style training after high school, and every job I get builds on the last one all the way back to “White Christmas” at Inspire in 2013.

Inspire is home to some of the most dedicated, funny, and loving teachers I have ever come across. It jump-started my passion to create and solve problems, while showing me that I can enjoy things outside of engineering, like the arts. Inspire was a pivotal point in my life, and it has led me to where I am today. As a first-gen student, I've continued my studies at UC Davis, and am now pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering.

If I had to describe my time at Inspire in three words, those three words would be; knowledgeable, interesting, and satisfying. What really makes Inspire a unique school is the fact that they really care about the students and give them every opportunity to express themselves in amazing ways. Whether it’s through dance, music, art, or science, students can explore new talents and really grow into the amazing individuals they’re destined to be.  Since 2016 when I graduated I’ve been continuing my education at Butte College. I had no idea what I wanted to work towards at first but I finally decided to pursue a job in the medical field as an X-ray tech. I’m actually moving to Klamath Falls, Oregon in like 2 weeks to go to the Oregon Institute of Technology. I’m going to miss Chico, but I’ll be back as much as possible to visit.  Inspire was truly a blessing for me because at my other high school I felt so alone and misunderstood. Our music classes were a joke and there wasn’t much else there for art. I didn’t even know Inspire existed until my grandmother took me to a musical they performed at PV High. I couldn’t believe what skill they had and that apparently they came from a school with students just like me, kids who appreciated the fine arts and longed to bring joy to other through their talents. I knew I had to go there to survive high school, and Inspire helped my thrive. I will always be grateful to the amazing teachers and kind classmates I had and I can’t wait for our first reunion.

The possibility of attending Inspire has always been riveting to me since middle school. The idea of going to a school that accepted you as you were and encouraged like minded creativity seemed foreign or out of grasp. Many schools from my experience focus solely on the academics of each student leaving little room for creativity but Inspire encourages both with more support towards individuality than conformity. Unlike other schools, Inspire offers students the opportunity to declare a major to explore deeply their passions while meeting all high school graduation requirements. I find it a privilege to work alongside highly supportive faculty and with like-minded peers who genuinely care about their success and education. Inspire allowed me to explore new pathways and excel in areas I wouldn’t have previously traveled. With abundant opportunities to express oneself I unexpectedly leaned towards dance as a newfound passion with the encouragement of Jarrah. The kind of love and devotion the teachers and other administrators pour into their students is admirable and that kind of unity is rare to find elsewhere. When I was going through the Camp Fire with the belief I would never see my family again, I had a teacher right there beside me in care as I struggled to maintain my composure. During the worst of my darkest days where I have been diagnosed with severe nerve damage with the idea of walking to be a challenge let alone dancing an impossibility. My dance teachers remained by my side and saw in me an ability to dance that I, at first, did not recognize. Jarrah related to my pain of not being able to dance and feeling like your world is crushing down with her own medical stories. Mrs. Shoemaker was sending me love through my many stays in the hospital and sent me videos of man tap dancing without a leg. Through this encouragement, they offered me hope and with hope comes a dream which could be achieved. Through vulnerability change occurs, and Inspire is all about recognizing each student's potential, even if they themselves don’t see their own abilities until they are brought to the surface. I had to accept myself for who I am and recognize that I can still dance and do anything I desire if I simply adapt and work to achieve that goal. My medical diagnoses simply challenged my creativity and acted as an inspiration to others demonstrating that they too can overcome the obstacles in their lives in pursuit of what they love. This was my main incentive that fueled my Senior Project titled “Removing the dis in disability” which aims to showcase each dancer's abilities. Using a spoken word I created that retold my medical journey, I would have choreographed a dance accommodating to each individual dancer to communicate to my audience and peers that they shouldn’t let their current circumstances be a barrier that they can’t overcome. Despite the challenges of this virus, I aim to continue my vision of this project even if it will be after I graduate. Inspire has demonstrated to me that no matter what obstacle comes my way that I can still achieve the same goals that may be seen as improbable by others. I just need to recognize that there will be setbacks but I can still find prosperity in every situation This belief will continue to inspire me to further my passions and to take risks in life in pursuit of what I love to do whether it's dancing, helping people find their potential, or tending to the needs of infants so they too can leave their mark in society. I am currently a freshman at UC San Diego majoring in Human development of sciences with a minor in Spanish and working on my prerequisites for either medical school or nursing school.