"It was in the tenth grade that I was first introduced to marijuana. Using the drug made me feel good. It made me into someone that I wasn’t. I didn’t have to deal my issues. I pushed my schooling aside and made friends my top priority. I began drinking heavily, every day. I started using harder drugs: meth, cocaine, ecstasy, etc. I seemed to become popular and everyone wanted to be my friend. I overdosed and almost died twice. I ran away and the police ended up tracking me down and arresting me. I was taken to the station where my mom and dad picked me up. I was then placed at West Ridge Academy. Little did I know that the Academy would help me more than I ever thought possible. Overcoming and working on my issues has helped me to understand the importance of why making the right choices is so important and how my choices can impact my future. Living in the light and staying on the right path is so much easier and provides a lot more blessings and opens more doors than accepting the “dark side.”
— WRA Graduate
"We were at our wits end, our daughter had developed serious behavioral and emotional problems. We could see that she was headed down a self destructive path. We tried all sorts of different things but nothing seemed to reach her. We enrolled her at West Ridge Academy, and after three months we started noticing changes in her. She began cooperating with her therapist, and even started swimming and singing again, which she hadn’t done for years. West Ridge taught her principles and strategies to cope with her problems. At Jenna’s graduation from the program she stated, “When I arrived at West Ridge I was completely lost. Then slowly things got better and better, and now I am happy again. I just got certified as a lifeguard and I’m loving school. I have my days, but when they come, I now understand how to deal with them. Life is good."
— WRA Parents
"At West Ridge Academy, we truly make a difference in the lives of the students and families we work with, every day. Our Therapists, Teachers, Youth Mentors, and administrative team truly care and believe in the mission of hope and healing."
— Tammy Harter | Human Resource Director