Diploma In Hand, Dream in Sight: Amiyah's Next Chapter
- Nick Malone
- Aug 1
- 3 min read
Updated: 8 hours ago
When Amiyah walked across the stage as part of the Class of 2025 at Association House High School, she wasn’t just collecting her diploma: she was rising above the people who doubted her, and more importantly, proving to herself that she had something special to offer the world.
“I remember one teacher at my old school told me I couldn't even get a job at McDonald’s,” Amiyah recalls. “Being put down like that just made me hate school.”
At her previous school, she felt unsupported, behind on credits, and disconnected from her teachers. The lack of encouragement weighed on her, leaving her discouraged about her future. But when a friend told her about AHHS, Amiyah found something she had never experienced before: staff who believed in her potential, a flexible system that allowed her to catch up, and resources that supported her whole well-being.
“Everything was just so different from a regular school,” she said. “They help you with everything—financially, transportation, even making sure you have food or clothes if you need it. And when you don’t understand something, they’ll take the time for one-on-one support. Everyone here encourages you to better yourself.”
That culture of care allowed Amiyah to thrive. Instead of falling further behind, she got back on track and graduated on time. Along the way, she also earned her pharmacy technician license—something her counselors encouraged her to pursue and even helped fund. That certification opened the door to her first healthcare job, working as a pharmacy tech at CVS.
She points to several staff members who pushed her to aim higher: Principal Pieper, mentors like Ms. Lyle and Ms. Thomas, and Ms. Kim, whom she affectionately calls her “school mom.”
“I really have a good connection with her. She still looks out for me to this day, even after graduating,” Amiyah said. “Everyone I’ve been involved with at this school still makes sure I’m okay. They’re like family to me.”
Now, Amiyah is continuing her education at Malcolm X College, preparing to enter the nursing program. Her dream? To become a NICU nurse, caring for premature infants and their families.
The dream is personal. “I was born premature myself,” she explained. “And I’m also the oldest of all my siblings, so I’ve always had that caretaker role. I want to make a true statement for them, to show them that if their big sister can do it, so can they. I want my sisters to see that we can be somebody.”
Looking back, she sees AHHS as the turning point in her journey. “When I first came here, I was just wild. Being here calmed me down tremendously, and I really got to focus on my goals. At first, I doubted myself, but they really spoke life into me and made me believe I could do it. And I did.”
Her advice to future students thinking about AHHS is simple: “Do it. Ask questions. Take advantage of everything they offer. Don’t give up. Keep showing up. The staff here will make sure you succeed.”
At Association House High School, that’s the goal: to meet students where they are, provide flexibility and support, and help every young person discover their own path to success. For Amiyah, that path now leads to scrubs, stethoscopes, and the fragile lives in the NICU-- where she hopes to keep proving that a difficult start doesn't determine the end. ◼
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Learn more about Association House High School at associationhouse.org/high-school. Interested in enrolling? Speak with an admissions counselor by completing an interest form.