For teens struggling with substance abuse and addiction, the typical pressures of high school can spill over into the realm of disastrous. Recovery high schools—with smaller class sizes, counseling and sober social activities—are designed to support students in recovery. The first recovery high school opened in 1979; today there are over 40 nationwide. But before Kolbe Academy, which opened last year in Bethlehem, Pa., none of the recovery schools were Catholic.

This week we chat with the school’s (Jesuit-educated) founding principal, John Petruzzelli, about what makes Kolbe Academy unique and why he thinks it’s important for the church to be involved in supporting students in recovery.

In Signs of the Times, we talk about Ashley’s feature article on Wyoming Catholic College and look at how Covid-19 has affected men and women religious and other vulnerable elderly populations.

As always, thanks for listening and supporting our show. We’ll see you soon.

Links from the show: 

Kolbe Academy
A visit to the rural Catholic college that has 171 students, 12 horses and zero textbooks
Supreme Court tackles clash of Catholic schools, ex-teachers
SOAR!

What’s on tap?
Water, carbonated (Ashley) and not (Zac). 

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