My sophomore year of high school was really hard for me. I started off the school year by going to an outpatient mental health hospital for my anxiety, which ended up just making it worse. Going back to school after that experience was super difficult for me. I felt like I was going back to an endless loop with no solutions. 

Soon after I returned, they put me in a class that I’d never heard of called School Success at Arrowhead Union High School's South Campus. Here I met a few students who soon became my friends, a few students who did not become my friends, and Ms. Ayala. I could tell instantly that Ms. Ayala and I would get along very well. 

She has brown eyes and brown hair. She was bubbly and smiley and it was clear that it was in a genuine way. One of the most important things I look for in a person is sincerity. I also loved that I could tell she was happy to see me each day. She would say “Hi Annie!” with a big smile on her face. The best way I can describe her energy is she seems like a daisy. 

Since starting high school, I have had a very hard time coming to school. But School Success and Ms. Ayala was a big bright light that helped me. In School Success, we would get help with homework, talk things through, and get students to go to their classes. We would also do some art therapy on harder days. 

My favorite thing about School Success was the environment that Ms. Ayala had made for us. There was a mural on the wall that we all made together, there were art supplies everywhere, and a big blue swing. Not only that but the knowledge that we could feel free in that room. It was the definition of a safe space. We could talk about anything we wanted, within reason of course. 

One of my other favorite things was when we could leave school for lunch. We would go to places like Culvers, Panera, and Chick-fil-A. The best thing about this (aside from the amazing lunch) was being able to have a good time with people that I really liked and got along with. It was very nice to have people that understood my anxiety and what I was going through. 

I felt like I could be my true self around Ms. Ayala. I could talk about my anxiety with her without feeling like I was bothering her. She didn’t feel like a therapist, she felt like a close friend. We could always talk about both of our experiences and just overall, have good conversations. She really helped me, when I really needed it.