Well, there's this little program called FOCUS at Guilderland High School. Actually, it's not so little. It has helped so many kids including me to haul their asses through high school and graduate.

When I first came to the high, my ninth grade year was a mess. I was always fighting and getting into trouble and failing my classes. So, they introduced me to FOCUS. What is it? FOCUS is a program that helps about 70 kids each year in grades 10 - 12 who have issues with any of the three A's. Academics, Attendance, and Attitude.

The program has been a part of the high for 30 years. Let me just tell you how much the program has helped me. I don't even know if I would've graduated if it wasn't for the program. The teachers and students became apart of my daily routine and once I graduated, it was really sad to not be apart of it anymore. They make you want to be something.

Family was probably the best part of it all. Aside from being apart of the entire group, each year you're assigned to a "family" which includes a teacher who's in the program and about 10 or so other kids and you talk and laugh and support each other and it's an incredible experience. We really were like a family. We'd bicker and joke but also stand up for each other. The program has rules as well but that's what kept everyone in check. We also helped the community every year for thanksgiving, we went out and gave back to the community. There's too much to even put into words to describe how great FOCUS really is. Everyone works together as a community and just pushes one another to do better and it's an amazing thing to have been apart of.

Without focus, I would've probably been held back a year still worrying about things that didn't even matter. I just don't have enough words to explain what the program did for me. Thank you is all I can say.