DENVER — At Denver's 5280 High School, the pursuit of a quality education is balanced by an endeavor that's just as challenging — the pursuit of sobriety.
The Denver Public Schools charter school off Mississippi Avenue and Lipan Street opened in 2018 and is one of the largest recovery high schools in the country, serving high school students who are struggling with or have a history of alcohol and/or substance abuse.
"[5280] is a safe place that allows kids to be able to get their high school diploma, to have an opportunity to learn about recovery, to learn how to live a substance-free lifestyle, and find purpose and meaning," said Keith Hayes, the school's director of recovery.
Before attending class, students participate in a morning meeting facilitated by Hayes that addresses various elements of substance abuse and the skills needed to face it. The meetings involve peer-to-peer support — students share their experiences and support their fellow classmates.
"We start off every day with a little meeting ... about recovery and kind of set the tone for the rest of the day," said sophomore Ryan Flannery, 15.
Flannery has become a leader at the school of roughly 110 students, acting a mentor for his classmates who may have had similar life experiences.
"I started drinking when I was 9-years-old and ended up kind of getting worse and worse over time," he said. "I think 2020 or '21 I overdosed. It was just very close calls on a daily basis, and just not really being able to get through my day without, you know, a drug or a drink."
Flannery has been sober for just over a year and attends a recovery program outside of 5280. He says his strength to stay sober is fostered by the resources provided at school.
Teachers and administrators are accompanied by a staff of clinical therapists, psychologists, recovery coaches, social workers and more.
There's no tuition at 5280, but there are some requirements.
"Equity is one of our design principles. It's important to us that every kid no matter their social economic situation has access to our school. So it is free to attend here, there is no tuition," Hayes said. "I have two requirements to attend our school — a desire and willingness to want to learn to be sober or be sober, and you also have to work an outside program of recovery,"
5280 High School is currently enrolling. The school has the capacity for dozens more students, according to Hayes, as the program continues to expand. You can learn more about 5280 High School through this link.
