Archway Academy's Graduation:
A Celebration of Transformation
Honoring the Journey from Recovery to Resilience One Student at a Time
Graduation at Archway Academy is more than a ceremony, it’s a powerful tribute to the strength, resilience, and growth of our students. It marks the culmination of not only their academic achievements, but also the deep personal healing they’ve embraced on their recovery journeys.
Each year, we gather with families, friends, educators, counselors, and recovery staff to honor the extraordinary courage it takes for a teen to choose sobriety and to stay committed to it while pursuing their education.
Our students don’t just cross the stage with a diploma in hand. They cross it as changed people. Empowered. Hopeful. Ready to take their next steps in life with a foundation built on honesty, accountability, and purpose.
For many, this moment once felt out of reach. But through daily effort, support, community, and belief in themselves, they made it. And watching them walk that stage, cheered on by peers, mentors, and loved ones, is one of the most moving experiences of our year.
💛 A School, A Community, A Family
Graduation is a shared victory. It belongs to the student who showed up even on the hardest days. It belongs to the families who kept showing love and support. It belongs to the staff who never stopped believing. And it belongs to the recovery community that wrapped around each student and reminded them they’re never alone.
At Archway, we often say we witness miracles—and nowhere is that more evident than on graduation day.
🎉 Details for the Class of 2026 Graduation
Details about our 2025–2026 graduation ceremony—including date, time, and location—will be announced in the spring semester. Families will receive invitations, cap and gown information, and RSVP instructions from the Archway team.
Stay tuned, and get ready to celebrate one of the most meaningful milestones in the Archway journey.
Hear from our Valedictorian
Howdy y’all,
I’m Harper. My sobriety date is November 4th, 2022.
Despite receiving this accolade of valedictorian, you should know—I’m not the smartest person up here. I’m not the hardest worker either. I might have been the most humble, if I hadn’t just said that.
Point being: I apparently have the best grades. But grades are just numbers, and numbers are dumb. Numbers don’t reflect anything about the amazing people up here with me today. Numbers won’t tell you anything about me or anyone else on this stage. This school understands that more than anywhere else I’ve ever been.
I’m so grateful to be here. Nothing that’s happened before Archway—and maybe nothing that happens after—has or will have a bigger influence on who I am as a person.
A Family Legacy of Excellence and Loss
I’m actually not the first person to receive the honor of valedictorian in my family. My brother, Nathan, achieved the same honor in 2021. However, he received it posthumously.
Nathan was the smartest person I have ever known. He easily got honors, but instead of coasting, he always went the extra mile—pursuing highest honors, taking extra classes, and even reading textbooks in his free time. Watching him study and push himself shaped my own dedication.
Nathan taught me to do the impossible simply because someone said I couldn’t. That defiance—used correctly—can be a powerful tool for change. I’m still learning how to wield it.
His death indirectly brought me to Archway. I’m a better person for it. Nathan is the reason being valedictorian means something to me. That’s a convoluted way of thanking him, but that’s what I’m trying to do.
Universities attended by Archway Graduates
Where Achievement Meets Courage
At Archway, graduation is more than crossing a stage—it’s the celebration of every step, every struggle, and every victory that brought our students here. Each year, we present seven special awards that reflect not only achievement, but the courage, growth, and heart our students have shown along the way.
Sasha Coles Impact Award
The Sasha Coles Impact Award
Awarded to a student who has an outstanding impact on the classroom and the recovery community. This student has unrelenting dedication to the principles of recovery.
Sasha Coles served as Archway Academy’s executive director for over 15 years, shaping, saving, and transforming countless families and students. Her leadership extended beyond our walls, driving policy changes and influencing the adolescent treatment landscape across the country.
John Redford Parent Gratitude Award
The John Redford Parent Gratitude Award
Awarded to a parent with a warm heart and never-ending support for their child and the Archway community. You have unrelenting service and unyielding love.
John Redford, a devoted parent whose son attended Archway Academy, was a true champion and ambassador for our mission. He served the school in countless ways, including as a dedicated member of our Board of Directors, always offering his time, voice, and unwavering support to the Archway community.
T. Greg Hambrick Service Award
The T. Greg Hambrick Service Award
Awarded to a student with outstanding service to their community. They are always willing to help and have a great attitude while serving.
Greg Hambrick was a Senior Warden of Palmer Church, and helped form a special team dedicated to exploring the idea of a recovery high school in Houston. His vision and leadership were instrumental in Archway’s inception, and he served as a founding member of our Board of Directors.
John Fenoglio Commitment Award
The John Fenoglio Commitment Award
Awarded to student with an outstanding commitment to recovery principles and accountability. They’re not afraid to tell it like it is.
John Fenoglio, a founding board member & parent, single-handedly funded Archway Academy’s first-year operating budget, making it possible to hire an Executive Director and open our doors. His generosity and commitment continue today through his active involvement and participation in our annual events.
Tammer Malaty Perseverance Award
The Tammer Malaty Perseverance Award
Award given to a student who embodies the true spirit of perseverance through their resilience and tenacity.
A longtime Archway Academy employee, Tammar Malaty founded the Adventure Learning Program and later Malaty Therapy, impacting hundreds of young people throughout Houston. His dedication, innovation, and care have left a lasting mark on our community and the lives of countless students.
John Putnam Transformation Award
The John Putnam Transformation Award
Awarded to a student who embodies transformation – someone rising from the ashes and growing into something amazing.
One of Archway Academy’s longest-serving board members and a past chairman, John Putnam was instrumental in driving the organization forward. He played a key role in establishing our golf tournament as a signature annual event, strengthening both our community and our mission.
