“I learned determination. When you believe in yourself, you can achieve what you set for yourself. I cried and screamed at the Alpine Tower, but I made it to the top.”

– 2003 Choices graduate, Hernandez School

“There’s a lot of disrespecting in our communities—I want to change that and bring respect.”

– 2003 Choices graduate, Hernandez School

“On the tower I was scared, but as I looked down and my friends cheered me on, and were confident I could make it, I did. So I’m going to go back to Boston and tell people that no matter what, to keep trying. If you fall, pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and keep trying.”

– 2003 Choices graduate, Rogers School

“I learned to believe in myself. I learned from my mistakes. I learned how to stop hitting people who are different from me. If I do that back in Boston, maybe that can change the world.”

– 2003 Choices graduate, Irving School

“I’m most proud of learning how to face my fears, and I know deep inside of me, I can be a nice person. I see it all—it’s like it’s right there in front of me. I have almost everything I could need in my hands. And one day, I will help my whole family with rent, with bills, and everything.”

– 2003 Choices graduate, Dearborn School

“People think we just spent a week in the outdoors. But if they didn’t come here, they didn’t know these there was much more.”

– 2003 Choices graduate, Irving School