As alumni of Crest, we are living proof that Crest’s model works. It was the place we felt seen, it was the place we were able to be ourselves, to learn who we were or who we wanted to be. The building itself served as a physical refuge. The adults within it valued us, helped us value ourselves, embrace our strengths and quirks, and helped us learn how to learn. We, and by extension every community we are a part of now, owe a debt to Crest for helping shape us into the adults we have become. And so, over a hundred of us have taken the time to share our stories, and the impact this program has had on our lives. 

Crest Saves Lives

For some of us, Crest is the reason we are alive, at all. One survey respondent said: “If I had not gone to Crest, I would likely be a statistic.” “Crest saved my life, when all I wanted to do was drop out and end my life.” “I attribute my time at Crest to me being alive today.” 10% of our alumni said Crest is the reason they’re still alive, and in a follow-up question, that number rose to 30%. Crest is designed for all students to feel seen, both emotionally and physically. Every time you walk into that building, the person at the front desk knows your name, even if you’re just there for one class. For a kid who’s maybe thinking they don’t want to be here anymore, that means a lot. It means a lot that the curriculum is structured to prioritize student individuality, that the building itself is built so that every adult is physically surrounding their students with support. 

Crest is a Safe Space

A person’s performance is a function of their potential minus interference. On the main campus, there is a lot of interference. It’s bright and loud and busy. It’s full of distractions. Bullying and microaggressions fly under the radar. It’s easy for students to be excluded, and overlooked; to disappear. The pace of instruction at the main building has no room for bad days, for crisis, or complications. Crest, on the other hand, is physically and culturally built to strip away interference, and build on a student’s potential. Students’ individuality, diversity, quirkiness, differences, vision, and creativity are seen as superpowers at Crest. “Crest is a hotspot for neurodivergent success on Mercer Island.” Crest is a safe haven for many students. Walking into Crest meant “walking into a warm building and KNOWING everyone there had my back and wanted the best for me. I learned how to learn there.” 

Crest is a Family 

Crest shaped who we are as people–as community members, as parents, as clinicians, as educators, as adults. Crest is more than a community. It’s a family, especially for those whose family-lives were difficult. The names of faculty and staff members spanning all fifty years of Crest’s history pop up throughout our stories. We’ve built life-long relationships from our time there. For all of us, both the staff at Crest and the students helped “everyone become the best versions of themselves,” which is what a family should do. 

Crest Changes Students’ Perceptions of Themselves 

“Crest meant a future, where standard classrooms meant failure.” Crest changed who we thought we could be, and what we thought we could do with our lives. It took kids who didn’t see a life for themselves beyond high school, didn’t see themselves as college material, and helped them find a path forward. 50% of us say Crest is the reason we graduated.

Among our ranks, we count a school administrator, multiple special education teachers and social workers. We have writers, public relations professionals, lawyers, business owners, a pastor, a community organizer, a marine, and a marine biologist. We are artists, actors, web designers, university professors, and engineers. Some of us needed to weather a particular crisis in our lives; others just needed something different than main campus had to offer. While some of us are still fighting tooth and nail to get where we want to be, none of us would be where we are without the program at Crest.