Alumni Testimonials

Crest made a high school experience and a graduation possible for me. I have nothing but gratitude that I was able to have that experience as a high school student. It was an authentic, loving, and beautiful chapter in my life. Like most of us that attended, I’m a unique person that thrived in the atmosphere and education at Crest Learning Center. I am forever grateful to Crest. With all that our children our faced with today, this alternative option and independent study is more critical than ever to be available. Saving Crest should be a top priority in the Mercer Island community. Many children will fall through the cracks and potentially have their lives altered in a negative direction. Not something that can be risked during critical years of development and discovery.

-Sammy, 1999-2003

I attended Contract as a 9th grader and eventually back at the high school graduating with my class. It played a critical role in my development and a secure base to allow for learning and growth. I felt seen by the teachers and the small group setting helped squash fears and created an environment that allowed students to feel safe.

Having a place like Crest was key back then and I can imagine with today’s stressful environment even more so. We didn’t have the internet with easy access to so many things and the harmful consequences that can happen and do occur. We didn’t have school shootings! Kids don’t all fit into a regular school system and having a place where they can belong is important for them, families and society.

Alternative high schools play a vital role in supporting students who struggle in traditional academic environments by providing flexible learning structures, smaller class sizes, and individualized attention. These schools create a safe and supportive setting where students facing academic, social, emotional, or life challenges can continue their education, build confidence, and develop practical skills for the future. By offering personalized instruction, counseling support, and pathways to graduation, alternative high schools help reduce dropout rates, promote equity in education, and give students a second chance to succeed and become productive members of their communities.

Attending Contract high school saved me. My family life was chaotic and the warmth and secure setting from the amazing teachers allowed for personal growth and achievement. I am forever grateful for my opportunity! There are so many stressors on kids and having a specialized education is crucial.

-Charla, 1972-75

I am confident that I would not have graduated high school without the existence of Crest and the support from its teachers and community. Crest was a safe haven to me. It is extremely sentimental to me, as my mother and several of her life long friends attended Crest. I have made relationships at Crest that I will keep for the rest of my life. Crest was an environment where adults could be trusted. Crest is so important for so many students, not just academically, but emotionally as well. Neurodivergent students NEED alternative learning.

-Anonymous

Crest isn't only the reason I graduated high school. It isn't only the place I created and fostered lifelong friendships and connections. Crest isn't just a place where my learning needs were met or where I learned to self-advocate. Crest wasn't just a safe haven where I felt like I could be myself - an escape from the overstimulating and complex norm on the main campus. Crest is far more than the inspiration it gave me to pursue both an undergraduate degree and a Master's in Marine Biology. It's far more than the community events or the accountability, inspiration, and trustworthiness of and by the faculty/staff. While Crest certainly is all of those things, and more...

To me, the significance of Crest is the very fact that I am alive today. For the first time in my life, I felt what it was like to be seen, heard, and mentored. It was shown to me that I could pursue a life that I was actually excited to live. Crest acted as a beacon to me in my darkest times, showing me that not only could I succeed academically, but that I could actually... enjoy it? So yes... I attribute my time at Crest to me being alive today. Having gone to college and now on my second Master's degree. Having been a Marine/Fisheries Biologist and now entering the world of education, still inspired to this day by the teachers at Crest.

Crest's impact is beyond measure. Crest is a place for students who don't believe in themselves to be shown they can succeed, a safe haven, a community, a home, an irreplaceable support that as much as someone may try can never truly be repeated anywhere else, a life-changing and life-saving support for at risk youth in the MIHS community.

-Ben, 2015

Crest means they don’t leave anyone behind and are willing to help all the students who have trouble in life. I’ve met so many people at CREST and I got to know them. CREST is a community, combining students who have trouble in their lives, or have special disabilities. CREST made me meet so many people who I made friends with in different groups and it made me realize that not all students are bad. It’s just trying to help us find a comfortable environment. Staying in the main high school made me feel out of place due to my disability. CREST has made me open myself up and help me with my troubles with education. The operation of CREST is getting to know all aspects of their lives and listen to what they have to say in order to help the students continue with their lives and not give up. Please don’t disband the CREST. All the students will be devastated if it close and they will have trouble finding and accepting who they are.

-Jeanyah, 2010

Crest saved my life, teachers gave me worth when staff at the HS told me I’d amount to nothing. My daughter, almost of age to attend with her 504 plan cannot benefit from the same loving education. If Crest is closed, every child who does not “fit” in will loose a wonderful program aimed at supporting certain students to thrive where they might not at the high school.

-Shaina, 1992-1995

Crest was the reason I was able to graduate. The more focused environment and the personal relationships with the teachers gave me what I needed to stay on track and learn. They helped me graduate and pursue my dream of joining the Marine Corps. Students need a place for an alternative style of learning. Without it, I fear many alternative learners would not have a space of their own to truly develop before heading out into the big world. Shoutout to the Crest faculty from my years and the current team, you are all incredible educators!

-Anonymous

I would’ve ended up in the final penitentiary for life if it wasn’t for amazing educators at Crest. They shaped who I am as a rather successful businessman. Marginalized youth, without access to alternative education, ultimately become a greater financial and societal burden.

-Schuyler, 1999-2002

The minute I walked into Crest doors I felt like I belonged. Crest creates community, saves students academic futures, and provides support for students who need an alternative. Save Crest.

-Karrey

Crest provided a safe space and small class sizes when I was struggling to attend school due to my mental health. I had a low GPA and didn’t think I would go far since school never really felt like it was for me. Crest and crest staff supported me to boost my belief and self-efficacy in myself to believe I could achieve, which was never something I received at the main building of MIHS. To them I felt like I was a failure due to not taking 4 AP classes, honors classes, applying to prestigious colleges etc. Crest made me feel valued and I wouldn’t have graduated without it. Students who want to learn or need a belief/supports that they can learn and be successful in an alternative setting and pacing. There is not a lack of rigor, but rather a focus on understanding and making that rigor look different to support students. Crest should not be dependent on test scores. Crest is there to support students who don’t necessarily fit the mold of MIHS, that need community to rally and help them rise to their potential. Crest has prevented so many students from dropping out and supported students in finding a future. Before Crest I wasn’t going to go to college. I am now a school counselor with a bachelors, 3 minors, and a masters degree. I have maxed out my salary scheduled as an MA + 90 and that shift in my mindset about learning came from the community and teachers at Crest.

-Megan, 2013-2015

Crest means so much. It was the glue that put a lot of broken pieces together and provided my very unstable life somewhere to feel safe and grounded. It was home. So much would be lost without Crest: the community, safety, and second chances that so many kids don’t get in the regular high school. Nothing can replace it. There is something about stepping out of the main campus and walking into something smaller, more intimate. Even the walk to Crest was therapeutic.

-Gianna, 2014-2018

I only attended Crest for summer school in 2013. However, the staff who were still there during the summer were so incredibly kind and welcoming. I’ll never forget the woman who worked at the front desk remembered my name after the first day, an experience I never had at MIHS. Crest offers diverse learning opportunities for individuals who don’t learn well in a typical classroom setting.

-Anonymous

I attended Contract as a 9th grader and eventually back at the high school graduating with my class. It played a critical role in my development and a secure base to allow for learning and growth. I felt seen by the teachers and the small group setting helped squash fears and created an environment that allowed students to feel safe.

Having a place like Crest was key back then and I can imagine with today’s stressful environment even more so. We didn’t have the internet with easy access to so many things and the harmful consequences that can happen and do occur. We didn’t have school shootings! Kids don’t all fit into a regular school system and having a place where they can belong is important for them, families and society.

Alternative high schools play a vital role in supporting students who struggle in traditional academic environments by providing flexible learning structures, smaller class sizes, and individualized attention. These schools create a safe and supportive setting where students facing academic, social, emotional, or life challenges can continue their education, build confidence, and develop practical skills for the future. By offering personalized instruction, counseling support, and pathways to graduation, alternative high schools help reduce dropout rates, promote equity in education, and give students a second chance to succeed and become productive members of their communities.

Attending Contract high school saved me. My family life was chaotic and the warmth and secure setting from the amazing teachers allowed for personal growth and achievement. I am forever grateful for my opportunity! There are so many stressors on kids and having a specialized education is crucial.

-Charla, 1972-1975

It changed my life. Those teachers down there did the best they could and to this day to help students pass. Not only was it about school but it was about who they were. They care so much and that will carry on for the rest of my life. They understood hardships that students went through during their teenage years.

-Anonymous

It gave me a different type of environment to learn in (compared to MIHS) that made it easier to learn, which I really enjoyed. My Crest graduation was as important to me as my actual graduation from MIHS was. Crest was and I'm sure still is a great place to learn.

-Anonymous

I only spent a year at Crest, but it was one of the most transformative and important experiences of my time at MIHS. I came to Crest under unusual circumstances. Originally placed into an AP block I was unprepared for but with regular English/History blocks full, Crest was my only option. I wasn’t a “typical” Crest student, in the sense that I didn’t need the services and environment Crest provided, but I truly believe it’s an experience that should be the norm not the exception. Crest gave me the space to explore myself, my interests, and my goals in ways traditional classroom environments don’t. I truly do not believe I would be where I am today, a two-time graduate of the University of Washington and lawyer for a Fortune 500 technology company, without the experience I had at Crest. As someone who wasn’t the typical student Crest was designed to serve, I can say what would be lost is an immeasurable service to the community. Crest provides a unique space for students to find themselves without the pressures of the typical high school experience. Without it, I fear those students will be left behind. Dissolving Crest is misguided. It is truly a gem of what makes MISD the exceptional district that it is; not focused on test scores or opaque metrics, but on the real needs of individuals.

-Anonymous

I never would have graduated high school without Crest. Crest provided opportunities for ALL students to learn. Not everyone does well in a typical classroom environment. Crest provided me with a place for out of the box learning that truly helped me succeed.

-Anonymous

In the small bubble that is Mercer Island, Crest single handedly opened my eyes to what community really is. It shaped who I am as a person today, being able to discuss real life issues within the community, not just in Mercer Island. I would have never graduated high school if it werent for Crest, which gave me the education and resources I needed to become a well adjusted adult. Crest is a small community but a mighty one and removing this program would only leave kids feeling isolated and unable to complete their education. Crest provided a sense of community, a tailored education for those who desperately need it, an enjoyable high school experience for many, and actual learning of things that matter in a way that every individual can understand. So many kids have struggles outside of the classroom and that is not something the main school considers. There have been numerous studies of how community positively effects individuals and that is something only crest has provided for me. It has kept me out of trouble and provided me a safe place to go countless times.

-Anonymous

Crest, then called Contract, provided a space where I could go to school in an alternative environment from the regular high school. The regular high school came with bullying, harsh treatment, cliques, and other issues that made it difficult for me as I struggled with an eating disorder and other mental health issues. Crest/Contract provided a warm, welcoming space where I felt safe. Not only did the alternative school help me graduate from high school, but I went on to multiple universities and become a special education teacher myself. In my years as a special education teacher, I’ve seen the necessity of alternative environments for at risk youth in both Idaho and Washington state. Mercer Island is certainly no exception When I attended Crest/Contract, the staff helped me manage multiple crises, and I’m quite certain that Karen Hagan saved my life. It was educators like Karen and Michael Hagan, and Joyce Hedlund, who gave me hope that there was something for me beyond high school. If I had not attended an alternative school like crest, I would likely be a statistic. Many students, especially those with special learning needs require small group instruction and project based learning in order to succeed. Many students who could successfully graduate from Crest will get lost in the system if there is not a place for them to get the support that they need. Rather than graduating and moving on to greater things, many students will drop out and turn to unhealthy ways of surviving. This is literally about life and death for some of the students who attend Crest. These kids believe that nobody cares about them and Crest gives them an opportunity to learn otherwise. So many people are still alive and contributing to positive and creative aspects of our society because of Crest. Closing an alternative environment that has been around for decades and changed thousands of lives would be a huge disservice to the Mercer Island community and beyond.

-Anonymous

Crest is a safe, healthy environment that sees all people. The people of Crest build one another up and see the differences that we all have as strengths & super powers. Our own individuality is beautiful and special. Crest celebrates vision and diversity and creativity. People learn how to be themselves at Crest. Sometimes, for the very first time. An environment that students that felt stunted and shunned in mainstream classrooms get to THRIVE. It makes all the difference. The learning environment at Crest is a system that works for each individual’s needs and interests. The students feel that they are important and valued. People that may not learn in a traditional classroom environment, feel seen and can flourish with their peers. Many people I know would have given up on getting their diplomas without Crest. The people I knew at Crest are some of my closest friends to this day. There is not a day that goes by that I don’t think back to what the teachers did for me in a really rocky time of life. I enjoyed school. They saw me and I will always remember that and cherish it. Michael, Karen, Patty & Chris forever!

-Anonymous

Crest saved my life when I was at my lowest and allowed me to stay in school when all I wanted was to drop out and end my life. Because of Crest, I graduated and got accepted into College. Crest means community, one on one teacher support, an alternative learning environment for those who struggle.

-Anonymous

The Crest essentials. Work Ethic, Community, Healthy Relationships, and fun. Those essentials in how Crest was taught really quickly became pillars of how I want to lead my following steps after my education. I feel like the learning at Crest wasn't as competitive, so people would often work together and often I felt I was learning quicker than other environments I had been in the past. Crest is a very special place where the teachers not only teach but listen. Not only listened but responded. A part of that is the staff which needs credit as well. Either way no other education programs I have been apart of has matched this way of learning and advancement. It was very fun and rewarding for both parties I felt.

-Anonymous

Crest meant a future when a standard school meant failure. Crest meant the ability to personalize curriculum to cater to the particular learning styles and life situations of students, for whom without such flexibility would not succeed or at least have a much more difficult chance at succeeding.

-Anonymous

Crest is a special learning place for students who are known as misfits. Students that often times have trouble at home and haven’t applied themselves academically and had teachers accommodate their unique learning style without being demeaning but inclusive, fun, insightful, and engaging. Crest is a safe place for students who don’t fit into the traditional hierarchy at MIHS would be lost forever. Students who might’ve been academically challenged are given the space to learn, ask questions, and given a place to fellowship, discuss meaningful conversations and solutions, as well as given a platform to showcase their talents. All without feeling left out, pressured, discouraged, and unavailable. I’ve known many students who have struggled with self harm that have elevated their lives because the teachers at Crest cared to look beyond the surface. And right into the depths of their soul. At Crest, broken spirits are forged into successfully elevated spirits. Students are given the confidence that they matter and are given a second chance at graduation, a future, and a community. It’s a shame our school district continues to overlook a system that has elevated so many. In a way, it’s ironically why Crest is needed. The school district would be doing themselves a major disservice by cutting away a learning center that is so pivotal in the development of students who are outcasts.

-Josiah Townsend, Class of 2016

Crest was a community that allowed for students to feel more accepted than they would’ve at MIHS. This is speaking from personal experience as Crest was somewhere I created friends to this day and formed memories that made my time at high school much brighter. Before I went to Crest, MIHS was a place that was intimidating and I didn’t feel as if I was cared about. When I was finally taking classes and spending time there, I felt as if I could talk to any of the staff in a safe community. My grades and mental health became much better, otherwise I might’ve had to retake another year. Without a place like Crest to go to, students would be lost. Those with learning/social difficulties wouldn’t have somewhere to feel welcomed. Their youth and time at high school would be tainted. That isn’t something you ever get back. I went to wilderness therapy in summer of 2019. Upon finding out I wouldn’t be going back to Crest as my parents transferred me to another school, I cried. I cried for a very, very long time. This wasn’t a matter of having to make new friends at a new school, this was a matter of leaving the place that helped me more than anything else at that time could’ve. Hearing the news that Crest is potentially being cut down to almost nothing has made me physically sick to my stomach. I truly think this is a terrible mistake that would affect an incredible amount of children's lives and well-being, from the current students to the potential ones in the future. I would not have made it to college or possibly even graduation if it wasn’t for my time there.

-Anonymous

My entire education. Crest is the sole reason I had any hope in my education and is still the reason I do. Crest taught me what community meant and majorly contributed to my character today. Crest is a hotspot for success among neurodivergent students at MIHS and said success would plummet if Crest is cut.

-Anonymous

Crest means the world to most of the people who went there. The teachers at Crest were the only reason I graduated. What would be lost is a place that special education kids or kids that need a little extra help can go to get people who actually want to teach them and help them learn and grow. I had Jane Sullivan as a teacher at MIHS, and she talked to most of us like we were children and treated us as so. The teachers at Crest speak to you like your an adult and genuinely make you feel like they are there to help you when you're not the average star student, which is not what I got when going to the main high-school. The teachers at Crest felt like they wanted you to succeed, on a personal and educational level. You could go to them for anything and they would go above and beyond to help you figure out whatever issue you were having. Without them I would not have graduated and gotten to where I am today. Crest is irreplaceable and would be a huge mistake to get rid of. Crest is necessary for the success of all students who need extra help in school to have a safe learning environment without the prying eyes of the "normal" students who generally look down on others for not being like them, in my experience.

Crest means a community like family. Without Crest, students could lose learning opportunities, support, special experiences that are hard to replace.

-Anonymous

Crest became a safe place and a place to feel seen and accepted in high school. I requested transfer when I found myself placed in a combined (read: too large) English class at the traditional high school, where I knew it would be too easy to float through unseen and do the bare minimum. At Crest I felt SEEN, accepted, supported, and encouraged to work to my potential. Crest offers a pathway for so many students who, for many reasons, do not thrive in the traditional high school. It was an incredibly special place when I attended and I hope that continues for future generations.

-Anonymous

Crest means a supportive, stable, and enriching learning environment focused on uplifting students in our community in a pursuit to build valuable educational skills. For me, Crest was a space that I could learn, challenge my own thinking, and feel less forgotten than when I took courses at MIHS. It was more than just a learning environment — it was a community of students working to help each other become the best versions of ourselves. Getting rid of Crest would be detrimental to the district, and most importantly it would strip that very community and safe learning environment from every student yet to start at MIHS. Crest is asafe, alternative, and supportive learning environment that can assist a myriad of students who may be facing learning disabilities, personal issues outside of school who need additional support, and a staff that is deeply dedicated to student growth and well being. Students gain a sense of belonging at Crest, one that I personally never felt at the main campus of MIHS. I graduated in 2015. Prior to my senior year, I was convinced that I would never amount to anything other than a high school dropout. From substance abuse, to having no interest in academics, I can state with certainty that I would not be living the life I am today without the support, education, and community of Crest Learning Center.

A major impact Crest had on me was the creative nature in which we were able to learn. In my junior year, Crest brought in a career coach to help students map out their strengths, build dreams and aspirations, and learn valuable skills for the workplace.

This course is directly what led me to the field of communications, and later the career of public relations. Without the support and educational structure of Crest, I would not have graduated high school — let alone graduate from SPU with honors and the status of Magna Cum Laude. I would not have gone into student journalism in college (which led to national media coverage as a result of my reporting at SPU). That passion for learning came directly from Crest. Now, I apply those interpersonal skills and love for lifelong learning to my career in public relations, as I now advise CEOs and industry leaders in AI and cybersecurity on their communication strategies. Without this program and school, I would not be where I am today. I believe it would be unwise and deeply harmful to the Mercer Island community and future MIHS students to depart from such a valuable learning environment. Test scores cannot demonstrate the true impact Crest has had on the students who have walked these halls. Only our voiced experiences can.

-Anonymous

Crest is a must in the community of MI. Creating individual paths, and differentiated learning structures that are oh so vital to any community. Crest is a blessing to the MI community and needs to be saved!

-Anonymous

I wouldn’t have had an education if it wasn’t for Crest. My mother died my first day of Freshman year and Crest helped me get through it. I had a few classes at the high school but I couldn’t do it. Crest was smaller and more of the community I needed to get through learning at such a tough time in my life. I loved the small community feel of school. The feeling of no judgment on your pace of learning with your peers. I feel like Crest Learning Center was a lifeline for us kids who couldn’t learn at the pace of MIHS. We had a wonderful group of students and the teachers still have an impact on my life 30 years later.

-Anonymous

Crest gave me inspiration to understand how powerful my words were. I had no inspiration in school when I arrived at Crest, and it quickly turned me into a student who enjoyed conversation and academics because it made me think in abstract ways that stimulated me. I still use the skills and strategies today even in college. Crest is a real and genuine learning system that cannot be found in the rest of the school. Students and Alumni who have gone through Crest have been some of the nicest and smartest people I’ve ever met. Crest had some of the nicest and most passionate faculty I’ve ever met at any school and it shows through the students they’ve taught.

-Anonymous

Crest so was important to me during those highschool years and beyond. Without Crest, so many kids would lose out on a great program that helps teach kids a little differently tag the main stream.The teachers were so great that they would actually learn you and your learning style then they would teach you that way. Omg I am bawling my eyes out right now thinking about their not being a Crest for people like me to go to. I would have dropped out at freshman year instead of going all the way to my senior year and the teachers were all so great!!

-Anonymous

Crest saved my life, teachers gave me worth when staff at the HS told me I’d amount to nothing. My daughter, almost of age to attend with her 504 plan cannot benefit from the same loving education. If Crest is closed, every child who does not “fit” in will loose a wonderful program aimed at supporting certain students to thrive where they might not at the high school.

-Shaina Poll, Class of 1995

Family. Without Crest, children in need would fall through the cracks.

—Anonymous

Crest is the only reason why I graduated high school. There would be many students that wouldn’t graduate in the years to come if it wasn’t for Crest.

-Anonymous

A safe space to learn with like-minded creatives. A source for creatives to express at the pace that works best for each learning style.

-Anonymous

Crest was a safe haven for those who are not neurotypical. It provides the ability to learn for those who don’t fit into standard academia.

-Anonymous

This was my school for three years and I helped me get though a lot.

-Anonymous

Crest meant everything. It meant somewhere safe for atypical kids to land safely and provided us with the skills to thrive in a typical world. I can't even imagine how devastating this loss would be for current and future kids. As both an alum and parent of a kid in the district, this is definitely shocking and unsettling news.

-Val Saeedi, Class of 2001

Crest is the entire reason I managed to pass high school without severe mental health problems. I found community, friends I still talk to, and purpose as I learned here. I took almost all crest classes from the time i was a freshman to the year I graduated, and was the recipient of the 2023 linda holt award. Crest gave me a reason to push forward during covid, opportunities to bond and interact with my peers even in a time where all we saw were blank camera-off screens. It gave me a different perspective on learning, and a different perspective on life that I still carry with me to this day. My teachers held me accountable to do my schoolwork, and keep pushing even when I felt like dropping out. I can honestly say that high school was an an enjoyable experience, and that is entirely thanks to Crest. Some of my fondest memories are Crest events and field trips, memories I’ll carry with me as a teacher myself now. I can’t imagine MIHS without crest, and I DEEPLY fear for my younger siblings who are about to enter high school without the same learning disabilities I had. Crest is a community for people other than the picture perfect cookie cutter students. Community for students with learning disabilities, alternative lifestyles and views, and a deeply impactful high school experience for ALL instead of just what the “perfect” Mercer Island student looks like.

-Anonymous

Crest meant a safe space and support in small groups; a safe space for students in need; we need this space for our special/loved children.

-Anonymous

Crest meant graduating and being understood. Losing Crest would mean losing the community and sense of home that it brought. Crest brought those who would have never understood each other together. Me being an athlete and popular in my class would have never met other students and connect with them on a personal level. Thanks to Crest I am grateful for meeting other students and having a great education in learning English and history!

-Anonymous

The teachers at Crest gave me tools to adapt. Crest and similar programs have allowed me overcome my learning disability. I now thrive in the college space. Of course I am very thankful for that. Crest is essential for intelligent neurodivergent individuals who struggle to learn in normal environments.

-Anonymous

I was a new student in my senior year and my periods at Crest were the only classes I had friends in and where I knew all the teachers. I would spend all my lunches at crest. It was the only place in the high school I felt actually comfortable in. We need the community In that building and having teachers that had the ability to really know and support students.

-Anonymous

When I think of Crest I only smile! When I was in high school, Crest meant math class at my own pace with help and someone who took the time to listen to my confusion. It meant walking in to a warm building and KNOWING everyone there had my back and wanted the best for me. I learned how to learn there! Like what works best for me etc. I also learned some very human things like how to engage with community, the importance of integrity, what it means to give/have/feel respect by and from peers. Crest was safe, and special, and welcoming and warm, no matter what day it was or how I felt. Crest means community and safety in learning (which should be the baseline, by the way). You cut Crest, you cut a whole entire community. All of the learning, the comradery, safety, home feeling, connection and respect to peers, patience for oneself and others, creative outlets, out of the box thinking, individualized classes & care, a sense of belonging, connection and a desire to come back. School is a place of learning. Crest was a space I could learn in because it had all of those extra feelings and supports and encouragement around it! And I learned so much more than just the curriculum! Cutting Crest means so many youth don’t have access to education that suites them simply because they don't fit the Mercer Island school district definition of an average student.

-Anonymous

I wanted to be a novelist since the third grade, and really since I learned how to write. I’ve written stories since I was four, but in seventh grade, my language arts teacher was still giving me writing frames to fill out. I had one golden year, in eighth grade, when my language arts teacher took me seriously, and gave me work that felt meaningful. It’s important to note here that she came from a background of teaching in juvenile detention facilities, and was used to looking beyond convention.

When I hit high school, my freshman English class made me feel like the stupidest person on Planet Earth. Every component of that class told me that I wasn’t good at this stuff, and if it hadn’t been for Crest, I might have started to believe it. Crest not only allowed me the space to be myself and pursue my passions, it celebrated who I was and what I was interested in. Karen Hagen and Jason Porter were instrumental in preserving my self-worth and helping me figure out how I fit into the world.

Since Crest, I graduated cum laude from Fairhaven College at Western Washington University. I entered into a PhD program for history at Johns Hopkins University. I earned an MFA in Creative Writing, and have been teaching writing to third graders, graduate students, and everyone in between ever since. I’ve published short stories, I’m working on my fourth and fifth novels, concurrently, and in 2025 I won the Blacklist’s Unpublished Novel Award for Crime and Mystery. Breaking into the publishing industry takes skill and persistence, and most of all, you have to believe in yourself. Without Crest, I would be years, possibly decades, behind where I am now.

Harvard psychologist Howard Gardner identified seven different intelligences in the eighties. At the high school, it often feels like there is only one definition. If you don’t fit that mold, you’re not smart, and if you’re not smart, you’re not worthy. That’s how it was when I was a student there, and working with the kids I work with now, I have yet to notice a demonstrable change in culture. That is why Crest needs to exist: to lift kids up instead of grind them down. Not everybody fits into every system, and I would have lost an essential part of myself if I was forced to fit into the high school mold. That’s not an indictment of the high school, that is an argument for Crest’s continued importance. If public schools exist to serve every student, they need to serve every student.

-Roz Ray, Class of 2001

Crest was a place that became a home for me personally. The people at Crest were not only inviting, but also were supportive for my dreams and future. The community itself was always positive, and it gave me so much joy just being at that part of the campus of my high school. Overall, it was an inviting experience that continued to provide for my own well being. The impact that Crest has to the community has always been positive, thoughtful, inviting, and influential. There are so many classes at Crest that provide necessary resources for graduation, and has courses that provide students with good routines of work. If we remove Crest it wouldn't just affect the community of Mercer Island High School, but also affect Mercer Island as a whole.

-Anonymous

A supportive and amazing group of teachers who helped me stay on track to graduate! They teach every student individually and collectively and make them feel welcome and worthy of getting through school.

-Anonymous

Crest supports students who struggle with writing and appreciating history, among other subjects, but just need a little extra support. It has small class sizes for those who need it, and the ability to get proper mentorship, not just instruction, from teachers. Without Crest, education would become one-size-fits-all, even when it isn’t.

-Anonymous

I would not have graduated if it weren’t for Crest. Crest staff and resources helped me grow into the person I am today. It means so much to me that future students will have the same opportunity to learn the way I did. Crest allows kids who have a harder time in large classroom settings and more one on one needs with teachers to have that provided to them. I also think that the community that is Crest is crucial for many students. I personally was not a team player but not only found community, but friendships I still maintain today through Crest. It would be heart breaking to see such a wonderful place be taken away. Kids of previous years at Crest were deemed “rough around the edges” but Crest is so much more than a place for keeping them “contained” it’s a place for kids to learn that they are so much more then what people have labeled them. I was not a star student, but Crest taught me that I am capable of doing great things, and because of that I pushed myself to be better to make not only myself proud but the people around me who were supporting me.

-Anonymous

I found my voice at Crest and felt smart for the first time in my life. I wouldn’t be who I am today as a person in my community, as a mom, and a hard worker if it weren’t for Crest. Crest has the ability to show students they can learn with a different way of doing things, that they are smart and just need to be given a chance to see it for themselves so they can go into the world with confidence. It would be a major loss for students if Crest went away. So many kids will feel like they are being thrown to the wolves without it.

-Anonymous

Crest Learning Center saved me from dropping out of high school after going to substance use treatment as a teen. Karen and Michael Hagan were the counselor’s back then and having an alternative to the high school was a respite for me. Now I’m a professor at Portland State University. I’ve helped start two alternative high schools in Oregon and work with at risk youth like I was. Crest was a beginning to the rest of my life. A fully operational alternative to the HS is essential for teens. It’s so important to have a smaller space which help kids with different needs, creatives, neurodiverse folks and people like me, coming back from a trauma. Allowing biodiversity encourages the garden!

-Catherine Nyhan, Class of 1990

Crest offers a safe space for alternative learning styles, for students who may struggle in a traditional classroom setting.

-Anonymous

Crest is the reason I enjoy learning again. Crest is the reason I was able to graduate on time. I was a student that felt like none of my teachers cared that I was struggling academically. I tried tutoring ; offered in school and independently. I tried asking my teachers for help. But they had a class of 70 kids some days and they just did not have the time or the energy I needed from them to make me feel like they actually cared about me and my academic future. Crest offered smaller classes, slower curriculum plus an environment that I felt more comfortable asking for help in that allowed me and my teacher the one on one time I desperately needed. Crest helped me enjoy learning again. I wish I knew about it earlier in High School.

-Dana Lindell, Class of 2015

Crest meant being given the opportunity to challenge myself academically in ways that interested me. I was allowed to explore areas of academics that would influence industries that piqued my curiosity for potential careers. It was a program where I could be offered aid in courses where I struggled and push harder in the places where I excelled. It formed a sense of ethics that stuck with me long after graduation and set the standard of dedication to the population served that any educational effort I've undertaken since has been framed after. Crest offers educator/student relationships and familiarity that simply wasn't available elsewhere for more marginalized and vulnerable student demographics. Without Rigby and Sarge, I simply wouldnt have pursued any of the career paths and opportunities thay have led me to where I am today. Who I am as a clinician, husband, and father is largely due to the effort that the instructors at Crest put into me.

-Anonymous

I was failing almost all my classes. They taught me how to succeed, helped me regain my confidence in myself and my work, and I started getting all A's in all my subjects, even the ones outside of Crest. With their help, I was able to graduate and go to the college I wanted to go to. Without Crest, everyone struggling like I did will no longer have the help they potentially need to succeed in their own schooling. Alternative teaching methods really do work and are so valuable. Everybody is not the same, not everyone can do well in a formal, strict, typical schooling system. Crest makes a huge and positive impact. Crest taught me the value of education. I didn’t care that much about it before I started there. My only regret is not reaching out for help sooner, not learning about it sooner, so I could’ve spent all my high school years attending. I genuinely miss Crest even 10 years later.

-Anonymous

To me, Crest is a small, creative community where I was able to grow and learn at my own pace, in a way that truly worked for me. MIHS would lose a unique learning environment that supports individuality, creativity, and self-paced growth. It provides opportunities and support systems that many students rely on, and those aren’t easily replaced.

-Anonymous

Crest was a critical component of my development as a student and as a person. Without Crest I would not be half as well off as I am. Crest is a place to learn for those who don’t “fit the mold.” The outlier, the edge cases, the troubled youth. Without Crest those kinds of kids will not succeed.

-Anonymous

Crest was an amazing resource when I needed help with my education that MIHS could not provide. Without them, I may not have finished high school. Without Crest, people who are falling behind with the intense curriculum MIHS has would be left essentially with no choice but to keep struggling. There would be no alternative for them.

-Anonymous

Crest created a safe and encouraging environment for many people. If it wasn’t for Crest and the amazing teachers there I wouldn’t be where I am right now. Crest gave many students hope of graduating and doing well in school.

-Anonymous

Crest offers community and equal opportunity in education.

-Anonymous

Crest helped me get back on my feet when I was struggling at the main high school with undiagnosed ADHD (I went on to do Running Start and thrived in a college environment). I went on to go to the UW and completed my degree. Without Crest I would have failed my freshman year (when my parents had just gone through a divorce, my newly single mom had a newborn and I had moved to Mercer island from Seattle with no support network outside of my mom). Crest teachers gave me the support and attention that i needed that I could not get at the high school at a time when I needed someone to take the extra time the most. I was able to finish my classes, graduate on time and felt I had a safe place to learn and foster community.

-Anonymous

Opportunity, possibility, inclusion. Many students like myself will not graduate without Crest. Crest was an opportunity to learn in an environment that was uniquely understanding of the individual students and adapted to them and their needs in a way that supports them and fosters a positive attitude towards learning and their futures. Crest is not expendable.

-Anonymous

Crest meant that MIHS didn’t give up on us. What would be lost without it? Every kid who couldn’t fit into the regular model. Cutting support for the most vulnerable is not how civilization thrives.

-Anonymous

Crest was essential for my mental health and survival through high school.

-Anonymous

I would be a high school dropout and never considered college (BS Finance Law). Crest meant mentorship and experiential learning, in my case.

-Anonymous

It saved my life and helped me onto a path to becoming a better human, healing years of damage caused by a school system that doesn't work for kids who learn outside the box. Crest provides support for students who struggle and need the extra attention and encouragement. F*ck em. It's on.

-Anonymous

Crest offers an environment with teachers who cared about their students future, and a pathway and community for students who want to learn but are not given the proper support to do so from the traditional teaching at MIHS. Crest was the best part of my time at MIHS.

-Anonymous

Crest saved my life. The teachers and adaptive learning styles kept me engaged. There is no release valve in highschool when the pressure is on and suicide is a very real issue. Crest provides a safe place for young adults to learn and grow at their pace. Save Crest. Crest saved me.

-Anonymous

As far back as 1970, when I entered North Mercer, I remember students from Crest tutoring me/us at NMJH. It was so cool! They were so empathetic and I didn't realize their ability to relate to my less-confident self until I went to MIHS and felt so intimidated! I have several friends who needed/wanted to finish high school early, too, and attending Crest was the only avenue to do so - the most productive and creative folks I know today. As an educational psychologist I can emphatically state that losing an alternative educational program- especially on highly competitive and yes-elitist MI, so much would be lost! Creativity, emotional and psychological well-being, academic support for young people who fall thru the cracks or are 'between' an IEP and 504 plan, and kids who need a greater sense of belonging to flourish.

-Anonymous

Crest provides an alternative learning experience for those who have trouble in a standard school environment. Smaller class sizes, more hands on, with faculty who actually care about the students and want them to do well. Crest and those involved in it helped build me into the person I am today. I feel lucky for it all the time and it would be a shame for others to not have the opportunities I had because of it.

-Cate Sheehan, Class of 2017

Crest was a safe place where I could be me. It's a place for kids to express themselves while learning.

-Anonymous

I would have dropped out of school without Crest. Crest is a place for kids to go who don’t fit into the perfect little box of the modern education system. The kids are worth it!

-Anonymous

Crest was my saving grace in high school. I do not think I would have graduated without the support I received from Sally, Patrick, Michael and many others. I had absolutely no interest in joining Crest Block when it was first presented to me but looking back, I don’t know what I would’ve done without it. Makes my heart hurt to know that other kids in the future might not be able to know how amazing this community is. Mercer Island is fantastic for showing kids one path. You take all AP classes, graduate with a 4.0, and go to an expensive 4 year university. So many kids do not benefit from this model and feel pushed into conforming to this mold even if it’s not what is best for them. Taking away Crest would take away opportunities for so many kids to find their voices, their paths and actually enjoy high school doing assignments that work for them.

-Anonymous

Crest was a fantastic place for me to feel welcome and worthy with my learning differences and uniqueness. High school was a nightmare for me but I loved going to my Crest classes and seeing all the amazing teachers.

-Anonymous

Crest gave me the opportunity to learn differently and still be successful, and a path other than the high school on Mercer Island, a place that makes it seem like there is only one path.

-Anonymous

Wouldn’t have graduated without Crest. Owe them my high school diploma and degree in college. Crest was a safe place for kids who deserve understanding and support who didn’t receive that from MIHS classes/teachers. Crest created community and saved a lot of us who were struggling. I am forever grateful for Crest and it is insanity to discontinue it.

-Anonymous

Reason why I graduated! Redefined what learning could look like. Inspired me to continue my education. Amazing teachers, touched my heart. Without Crest, beautiful, capable, creative students would most definitely fall through the cracks of a system that is not built for everyone to succeed. Crest is the best!

-Anonymous

I was able to take summer support classes at Crest to help build up my GPA to graduate and go to college. Without Crest I wouldn’t have been able to do that! The support and direction from the community and teaches at Crest is irreplaceable. The teachers there are so dedicated to helping students succeed when traditional ways aren’t working or possible.

-Anonymous

It was called Contract back then and was truly a life saver. The individualized attention was really helpful at a time when I was struggling. The teachers were supportive while letting us know that it was our responsibility to succeed. If we wanted to do that, they would be there to help us. If not, then that was our decision. It felt like the first time that I’d been given control in my life and I remain grateful to that team (so much gratitude for Patti North!!!). Without it, I think kids like the kid I was would fall through the cracks. The alternative model give students a different path to becoming successful adults. There was a stigma around Contract. It would be interesting to see some kind of aggregated data showing that kids who were served by the program have reached the same success levels as those solely at MIHS, they just needed a different path.

-Anonymous

It’s the only reason that I graduated from high school and moved on to graduate from Bellevue College with a 3.88 GPA and a two year degree in computer science. And then moved on to my career at Boeing and Microsoft and finally at the city of Bellevue, running two divisions for the city. At the time I entered, what was called contract high school back then I came from a broken home and was living in my car and occasionally at friends houses living on the couch without Patty north, and her encouragement and the other teachers, Donny and Michael and so on I would’ve never graduated from high school and now gotten a college degree. Contract high school load me to work full-time to support myself well I was going to contract high school contract high school allows people that are falling through the cracks and need an alternative style of education to illuminate. This is ridiculous and you’re basically throwing away the potential of several kids they just need a little help and a leg up. By closing Crest, you will throw away an opportunity for kids who have fallen through the cracks and need a little bit of help and a leg up and the ability to potentially work full-time while they’re going to school. In a lot of cases, this is their only chance. There are no second chances for those kids who are falling through the cracks. Throwing away that opportunity is saying that these kids don’t count and that’s a crime.

-Tod Shepler, Class of 1986

For various family and personal reasons, I dropped out of high school in the spring of 1977, but I was able to go back to complete my junior year through the contract high school system during summer of 1977. I finished my senior year and graduated with my class. Without this program, I'm not sure what would have happened to me. I'm quite sure I would not have been able to graduate on schedule.

-Anonymous

Crest had staff and a structure that decreased the stress of being in a class you were struggling with and felt behind. Without Crest, students who don’t have the same resources from their families as those at MIHS have will feel unsupported and could be left behind.

-Anonymous

I was a good student. I had been in the Alpha gifted program at Island Park and participated in music programs and accelerated classes later. Life was difficult at home and I found it more and more challenging to care about school that wasn’t meeting my needs. I moved out of my parents’ house at 15 and needed to work. I always knew I wanted to continue my education, but needed flexibility and support. Contract was a lifeline for me. My main teacher, Patti North, assessed what I needed and helped me graduate. (She even came to my wedding 40 years ago and I’m still happily married.) I was accepted into the colleges I applied to and graduated. I was a teacher for many years. I wanted to give back to my students, so they too could love learning and feel they had a safe and caring place at school. I remember being asked to speak with the school board as a senior, because they wanted to eliminate the alternative program then, too. I helped change their view of the typical contract student. Most of them thought the students were criminals and didn’t care about their education. There were many students at contract who were in the same situation I was at the time. We were struggling and needed an alternative path to succeed. MI is a beautiful, wealthy community, but that doesn’t mean families don’t live with serious problems that affect children. I was so fortunate that I had help and that I was able to continue my education and that my parents and I healed, too. Without Crest, students who need an alternative option for their education would fall through the cracks.

-Anonymous

Crest means everything! Crest gave me a safe space to learn at a pace that worked for me. At MIHS it was easy to feel overlooked as a student of color and different socioeconomic background. The teachers at Crest took the time to get to know us and how we learned, then in turn, taught us in a way that was conducive and effective for our learning styles. The smaller class sizes bred a fantastic community and gave us and the teachers a chance to work together. I had a lot of anxiety surrounding going into the block classes with 60 students and my parents and I had a fear that I would be left behind. Crest eliminated all of that. I am extremely grateful to Crest and to the counselors suggesting I go to Crest. My high school experience would have been significantly different and honestly I am not sure I would have graduated on time.

-Anonymous

Crest gave me a place to learn with other students like me.

-Anonymous

Crest Learning Center has provided a safe learning experience for my chosen family with different neuro expansiveness. In terms of learning diversity having the learning center is crucial to students' creativity for former and incoming students. Without Crest, I believe MIHS would lose the equity in learning opportunities. In an environment fueled by competitiveness, Crest was a safe haven for many and still is today.

-Anonymous

Crest means EVERYTHING. I would not be where I am today without it. Crest provides community, trust in the entire education system, and a place for students to go don’t have anywhere else. Losing Crest would be an unmitigated disaster for so many kids. Its positive impact for myself and others cannot be understated.

-Michael Amico, Class of 2012

Crest offered community and support. I was a troubled teenager with a troubled home life and the support and grit I revived and was taught at crest is one of the huge contributing factors to my success. They did everything in their power to support both my brother and I in a personal way which has not only left a lifelong impact on my life but my brothers as well. Crest taught me the value of believing in myself and that if I put in the effort I will see the fruits of my labor. Without Crest I would most likely be living at home unemployed instead of a successful full time artist at 20, something I was conditioned into believing was not possible and was an idiotic business/career venture. Crest supported me through the neglect I faced at home, the extra weight of raising my brother, my autism, and my learning disabilities. Crest is the only reason I was able to graduate highschool and the only reason I have the motivation to succeed today as an adult. The sense of community and judgment free expression creat cultivated help me rebuild my confidence and supported me through the perils of being a both a teenage girl and a high functioning autistic person. I felt seen and heard as myself for the first time in my life and I gained lifelong friends and support. My senior year of highschool my brother joined as a freshman and once he started presenting issues, socially and academically, the Highschool could not get a hold of our parents. Instead I was the one being contacted via email and I was the one having meetings with his teachers in order to find some way to support him. I was 17. Maybe it went unnoticed or unreported at the main building but the only staff members who showed any sign of concern for our home life and nature of my parentified role was the staff at crest. And the support they offered at that time saved my life. I was drowning very visibly and because I had built such close relationships with the staff they noticed when no one else would. They supported me when it felt like the whole world was working against me. Crest means everything to me. Crest is an important community and support system for students that the Highschool cannot offer due to its size. Crest has a higher teacher to student ratio than the Highschool (or at least it did during my time) so teachers are able to connect more authentically with their students. I have peers I once went to crest with that were nightmare students and did nothing but cause problems but to this day, despite their hatred for the staff at the time, talk about how the teachers saw past their problems and connected with them as people in order to find a plan to move forward. Students who struggle with sensory and social issues would loose a safe space to go to where they know they won’t be judged. Students with underlying issues they refuse to get help with will loose the small scale environment that allow those things to be noticed. Students who struggle academically will loose the classes that focus on teaching them in a way that they can process. Crest is such a vital part of MIHS and does not get enough credit. During my time at MIHS, teachers and staff would perpetuate the stereotype that everyone at Crest was stupid and an outcast. I had teachers who would joke in front of the class that if they did not preform well they would “get sent to Crest”. Crest is not just for the educationally challenged and socially outcast. Crest is a place of community and support. The classes are structured differently than the Highschool and some even count as CTE credits for college! Crest gave me extracurricular activities! During my time there I worked on the creative arts magazine and not only was the president of, but founded the MIHS FFA chapter. I spent my summer before my senior year working in the greenhouse for Horticulture and Marine Bio. To this day I still go back to visit Crest as much as I can because of the impact it left on my life.

-Katinka van Eeden, Class of 2024

Crest means everything to me. It was able to help me prepare for life after high school, show me what there is after high school, and help me understand a good work ethic and what that means. If I was at the high school instead of Crest I would not have gone into the field I went into, web development, or anything computer science for that matter. I didn't know how adulting worked and one of the teachers at Crest noticed my proficiency with computers. That one on one learning, being able to accommodate students with learning disabilities, and help those who need that more on hands learning is incredibly beneficial. I remember a lot more of the things I've learned from crest then I ever did at the high school.

-Jessica Kirby, Class of 2014

Crest gave me a place where I could learn in a way that met my needs- I felt then and now that my educational needs were important and respected. At Crest developed my first steps from a teen world out into the world of being a young adult. Teen years are difficult at best for people- we change and grow in almost every measurable way. Crest gave me a safe place to do that. Not all humans engage with learning in the same ways, not all children have the same needs- academic, social, emotional. Not all children have the same home support or resources or safety. It is rather shocking to have to explain to education policy professionals the importance of providing options and safety nets so no child falls through the cracks. Every child deserves access to an education that engages with their needs, not to be forced to sit in a space where they are set up to fail. The consequences of this plan are a betrayal of the responsibility entrusted in education professionals to help young people grow safely in one of the most difficult periods of life and be successful when they step out into the world. Crest is transformational, and in some cases, life saving. I cannot fathom why making cuts to this program is even an option. I would not be the adult or the educator that I am without Crest. I would not have developed the confidence and critical thinking skills that allowed me to travel and study in other countries. These experiences shape the way I work with students in my job. I want to provide a safe, supported, and student driven learning environment

-Sondra Snyder, Class of 2002.

Crest means everything, it was one of the main reasons I was able to graduate, the support the staff gave me was what I needed, they got me on the right track and path when I lost myself coming into high school and during high school. Crest offers support for the students who are not in general classes/groups. Without it, people are going to lose their connection and community, and the fact that students come to school only for Crest is going to lead to them just not coming to class.

-Anonymous

Crest meant the world to me. Crest fostered the idea that I could do something with my life. It pushed me to be better while also making me feel like I didn’t have to be perfect. The staff at Crest (whether I was part of their class or not) knew my name and checked in on me even when I thought I was fine. Thanks to Crest, I discovered my passion for learning. I make sure that with every interaction I have or any challenge, I put forth the values Crest stands by. Crest took my thought of: “I am a terrible student I will never graduate” to “I enjoy school, learning and helping others. I want to become a doctor.”
Crest has taught me more than what I could write on this page and I believe everyone that needs it should have the ability to partake in such an environment. Crest not only prepared me for college and the many more years of education ahead but it prepared me to succeed in a world where everyone is just trying to figure out life. MIHS would struggle meeting the needs of every student. Learning is not the same for everyone. Crest understands that and meets students where they are while pushing them to strive for more.

-Anonymous

Crest is community and opportunity. A place where the outcasts and rejects can be themselves while also getting the help/ attention they need.

-Anonymous

Crest is the space that allowed me to engage with school again. I've dealt with severe anxiety and depression caused by my struggles in school since 7th grade, and the teachers at Crest were the only ones who acknowledged it and did their best to help me through it. Crest is the space that has made school manageable for a variety of people- whether their struggles were because of a bad home life, financial issues, neurodivergency, other disabilities, or a wide variety of other reasons. I won't pretend it's perfect, but it is FAR better a community for anyone who doesn't fit the role of "socially confident student who can focus on school and do well without much struggle". I think many students will suffer for this- whether it's because they lost their supports or because they never had the chance to get them at all. Until the ENTIRE main campus can become accommodating to a student's struggles and various learning styles, there is no even semi-acceptable excuse to take away the program that does it all.

-Anonymous