Written by A., a current Riverside School senior
In the year 2023, before I started attending Riverside School, I felt hopeless. I had tried program after program, therapist after therapist, and nothing was quite doing the trick. At my public high school there were so many barriers to me getting a good education, including bullies, oblivious teachers, and guidance counselors who just didn’t understand. My willingness to better myself wasn’t always there, and my support system was lacking.
When my mom and I received the Riverside School pamphlet, we were hesitant. Our previous luck with out-of-school programs was poor, and I hadn’t always gotten along with my peers. After giving it some thought, we decided to go for an interview. Though we initially had some doubts, we noticed it felt like a happy and upbeat place to be while still holding space for a sense of calm. After feeling out the environment and meeting some of the staff, I could feel my anxieties dwindle, and I started to feel confident about my decision to give it a try.
At Riverside School, I learned that school doesn’t have to be a negative experience, you just have to find the right school for you. My favorite thing about this school is the community. It’s filled with therapeutic love and support, and so many laughs. I find it incredibly beautiful that everyone here, staff and kids alike, can express themselves so authentically without an ounce of judgment from others.
After attending this school, my grades have drastically improved, and I’ve made so many lifelong friends that I’ve formed real, deep connections with. However, my journey so far hasn’t always been perfect. A big challenge for me was opening up in the therapeutic groups that this program provides. We have some lighter fun groups, and then we have some heavier process groups. My clinician and I have worked hard to get me to willingly share in these groups, and after learning to be vulnerable with my peers, I felt a huge shift in my mental state. If I ever have something going on, or symptoms I want to explore further, knowing I can express them in a safe, supportive environment is a very comforting thought and helps motivate me to keep sharing.
The teachers here at Riverside School are extremely helpful and intuitive. The low teacher-student ratio dynamic makes it easy to ask questions and have instructions repeated to me as needed. If I’m ever feeling down or having a bad day, they are incredibly patient with me and help gently guide me into doing my schoolwork. They never make me feel guilty for being less productive than usual and always push me to do better the next day.
Two years ago, I would’ve never dreamed I would get this far into my school journey. Riverside School has given me the hope to keep going, and I hope to walk at graduation one day, knowing that Riverside School is the reason I am able to.
Riverside School in Needham and Milford is a small therapeutic day school for teenagers whose mental health has interfered with their academic and social/emotional well-being in a traditional public school setting. With a personalized approach to learning and therapy, we offer students and families our commitment to emotional wellness, academic achievement, and personal growth in a safe, inclusive environment. Fall enrollment is open now.
