Student Reflection: A letter to the Summit community from a recent student

Dear Summit Achievement Staff, Guides, and Teachers, 

Thank you for creating this one-of-a-kind experience for me to help me grow and develop skills and tools to live a happier and healthier, more fulfilling life. This program is so unique and has so much to offer to young people who are willing to take advantage of it. You all have formed a special community that I’m sad to be leaving and am going to miss deeply, but this community prepared me for that leap into the next part of my journey as well, which I am extremely grateful for. Before my time at Summit, I had given up on myself, my abilities, and my life. You all helped me to realize there’s so much more of myself to still explore and discover, but to start that adventure is a personal choice no matter the situations and swirls of events going on around you. The only control you have over your life is the way you react to things that happen to you and your actions in the moment, which seems overwhelming and unfair, but in reality determines your perspective, viewpoint, and feelings surrounding every experience that approaches you. Thank you for teaching me the true meaning of mindfulness, comfort, community, and structure, and how these concepts are applicable to different aspects of my life and future. Thank you for teaching me I’m worth so much more than the self-abuse and substance use that previously defined me. Most of all, thank you for dedicating your time to my growth, and the growth of others like me, and transforming lives through your words, actions, kindness, and hard-work. 

Sincerely,

Name withheld per student’s request.

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We are grateful for our Alumni who choose to tell their stories!