Indiana’s only recovery high school recognizes eight graduates for academic success and recovery milestones
Hope Academy, Indiana’s only recovery high school, proudly celebrated the graduation of eight students during its 19th Commencement Ceremony, held on Saturday, May 17, 2025, at the Christel DeHaan Fine Arts Center on the University of Indianapolis campus. The event honored the academic and recovery achievements of the Class of 2025.
This year’s graduating class includes: Marek Brosch, Fiona Garvey, Sheila Gilreath, Richard Hernandez, Hanna King, Chloe MacMillan, Sky Sewell, and LaReasha Vance. Their post-graduation plans are as diverse as their stories—college, trade school, military service, and the workforce—all rooted in a shared strength and commitment to recovery.
This year’s keynote speaker, Elise Shrock, offered these words to the graduates: “The road ahead will twist and turn. You’ll make mistakes. You’ll doubt yourself. You’ll wonder if you’re strong enough. But I hope that when that day comes—because it will—you’ll remember this moment. This feeling, and this truth: You have already done hard things. You have already come so far. You have already begun again. And you can do it again.”
Katharine Stuart, a 2011 Hope Academy graduate, delivered the recovery address, sharing: “We’re warriors in caps and gowns. We’re proof that rock bottom can be a foundation. That relapses don’t erase progress. That healing isn’t a straight line, but we walk it anyway—with courage, grace, and the occasional group chat meme to keep us laughing…” She reminded the graduates that success is not about perfection, but about persistence— “showing up on the hard days, being honest when it’s easier to hide, and choosing growth when the world tells you to shrink.”
Several students were recognized with scholarships honoring their accomplishments:
- Fiona Garvey received the Sig Zielke Scholarship
- LaReasha Vance and Chloe MacMillan were awarded Simon Youth Foundation Scholarships
- Hanna King received the Jim Barnes Scholarship
Each graduate addressed the audience, sharing reflections and expressing gratitude to those who supported their journeys—family, friends, staff, and mentors.
