The road of life has many potholes, dead ends, and directions that can lead you anywhere. My experiences with AARS and their staff have guided me to pursue and find meaning behind my own well-being. I believe that my involvement with AARS has helped me find who I am in many different ways. The ways in which I have changed since starting the program with Razelle Buenavista my freshman year is infinite. The experiences and times I have shared with AARS have definitely made me a stronger and wiser person.

Substance abuse is a prominent issue among youth today; and my own struggles with drug abuse have been one of the toughest things I’ve had to overcome. Through AARS, I have gained a better perspective of who I am and how I’ve grown.

The ironic thing about drugs is, if you use drugs they use you. And once I really started giving myself reality checks, especially when I would use often and heavily; drugs really deferred everything in my life.

In the past year and a half, I’ve had my ups and downs; times when I was clean, and times when I used. Along side all of this, the lessons and virtues I have gained grew, and still grow with me. AARS has given me guidance to see that no matter how hard my struggles are, there’s always a light at the end of the tunnel. That "light at the end of the tunnel" symbolizes the joys that come from suffering.

In conclusion, my efforts through working with AARS have let me evolve into a redefined and happier person. Being able to work with such great people, especially the staff of AARS has been such a constructively amazing experience. I’ll take with me the experiences shared, lessons taught, and memories made, and apply them to inspire my goals as a person. I feel that I have accomplished something that not too many people achieve and from this I am proud of myself.

By: Alex M., Age 16