When Support Turns Into Success: Andon’s Transformation Story

Andon’s Early Challenges and Background

For more than seven years, Andon has embraced new challenges and milestones as an active part of the Sierra School of Gateway community.

He enrolled in fourth grade during the 2017–18 school year at what was then Lexington Life Academy. At the time, he faced significant behavioral challenges after experiencing bullying in public school. He often became physically aggressive and struggled to make friends or keep up academically.

Building Trust and Understanding What Motivates Him

School Director Jessica Gilmore and her colleagues saw Andon’s potential immediately. Through consistent collaboration with his parents and targeted support from behavior specialists, staff worked to understand what motivated Andon.

“My team has a deep empathy for helping others and a desire to support kids in crisis,” Gilmore said. “We started giving him teacher-aid responsibilities and provided a radio. Over time, he made dramatic changes.”

Gilmore shared Andon rarely gets upset anymore and is now a model student. He serves as a student ambassador, helping with tours, welcoming new students, and hopes to work on campus when he’s old enough.

Family Partnership and Targeted Support

His mother, Rebecca Hulen, said staff made the difference early on by taking a personal interest in her son. They mentored him, walked him through an anger-management curriculum one-on-one, and modeled positive behavior.

“They learned what he wanted out of life and shaped his curriculum around those interests,” she said. “The kindness and compassion he received helped him feel safe and understood.”

Motivators That Helped Andon Grow

Teachers also discovered meaningful motivators. In one of his early IEP meetings, they noted his strong sense of justice. Giving him opportunities to help younger students and spend time in life-skills classrooms encouraged him and provided purpose. Humor also played a key role; staff found that making him laugh often helped him reset on challenging days.

Building Confidence Through Responsibility

Because Andon has oppositional defiance disorder, simple tasks often trigger resistance. But giving him real responsibilities that made him feel trusted inspired him.

“Treating him like an adult with meaningful duties energized him and helped him stay focused on his long-term goal of someday working at the school,” Hulen said. “He has become calmer and more grounded than ever before. School gives him confidence and stability. For a child who once struggled to even attend school, he now looks forward to each day.”

Evidence of Maturity and Continued Growth

Hulen recently watched him admit when he is wrong and keep trying after setbacks, which marks significant growth. One of her favorite recent moments was seeing him come home excited after earning the privilege of helping younger students, a responsibility he worked hard to achieve. She encourages other parents not to lose hope.

“Andon would not have come this far without the support of Sierra’s staff,” she said. “They showed him he was worth the effort. That helped him believe in himself.”