Ten years ago, Chuck Holloway was a Tri-North Middle School English teacher with a passion for students - and a vision.

Having spent his education career working in alternative high schools in Colorado and working with probationary youth here in Indiana, Holloway was committed to helping those kids who were slipping through the cracks.

In the spring of 1995, the Monroe County Community School Corp. also saw a need to help these students, and placed their faith in the hands of Holloway.

"I was very, very fortunate in that they let me start what I wanted to do as opposed to what they thought ought to be the right thing to do," said Holloway. "They hired me and trusted me with my experience to do what I wanted to do."

Aurora Alternative High School opened its doors in the fall of 1996 in what is now the Teen Learning Center on South Adams Street, eventually moving to its current home at 524 N. Fairview St.

Unlike most alternative high schools in the United States, Aurora was never designed to be a dumping ground for the courts or for other high schools.

"Court can't place kids here," he said. Instead, "Kids come here because things aren't working.

" … School of choice. Simply a public alternative school where kids get to come because they want to come there, not because they're sent. And because of that, it has a lot of success. Kids aren't forced to come here against their will."

It was this choice that led 10 students to leave Aurora in the spring of 1998 as Aurora's first graduating class.

Those students are grown ups now - some with kids, with careers under way. They still remember that time at Aurora- and credit the school with giving them a real starting place in life.

The Graduates

Kimberly Lane, now Kimberly Grant, was never a problem student. But she found trouble adjusting to life at Bloomington South.

"I was an A-B student at South High School, so, I never got into trouble. So trouble didn't lead me to Aurora," remembers Kimberly.

"I mainly went to Aurora because I didn't like the cliques that a normal high school had. Your jocks, your preps. I was never bullied - by no means - but at the same time I never really fit in to any certain clique."

After Aurora, Kimberly graduated from Ivy Tech Community College with an associate's degree in accounting. She is currently working in the IU School of Music's business affairs office.

Besides a high school diploma, Kimberly got another something special from her time at Aurora - a husband.

What began as a pen pal project between Aurora and an alternative high school in California blossomed into a long distance romance. Kimberly traveled to California and returned with Christopher. He would eventually take her hand in marriage and become the father of Elizabeth, the couple's 20-month-old daughter.

Like Kimberly, Shelly Bundy also had trouble adjusting to the hustle and bustle of high school life.

During her freshman year, she switched schools three or four times before finding solace in the nurturing confines of Aurora.

"It didn't work in any of the other schools," said Shelly. "They were too big. Not enough one-on-one help and guidance like Aurora has."

Shelly graduated, eventually going to work as an office services assistant at Indiana University.

For Nick Jenkinson, the journey was not nearly as smooth. After having difficulty at Tri-North, Nick enrolled in the DePaul School before being home schooled.

When Aurora opened, he leapt at the chance to learn once again under Holloway, who had taught Nick in the seventh grade, as well as through several correspondence courses.

"When I found out that they were starting Aurora and I found out that Chuck Holloway was the principal, I basically looked at it as another opportunity, said Nick. "A second chance. And he gave me that chance and I took advantage of it."

Nick would eventually receive his associate's degree in broadcasting from Vincennes University and a bachelor's degree in telecommunications from Ball State. He is currently working for Cook, Inc.

"He probably would have never made it through high school if this place hadn't been here," said Holloway.

Ruth Farnsworth also was lucky to find Aurora. Finding trouble with authority at Bloomington North, Ruth was recommended by a guidance counselor to be part of Aurora's first class.

"My whole GPA and everything immediately turned around as soon as I walked in the door at Aurora," said Ruth. "Because it was actually my choice to go. I didn't feel so trapped."

After graduation Ruth received her associate's degree from Ivy Tech Community College in graphic design. Ruth would also welcome her daughter Hara into the world in December of 2001.

After cramming 19‰ credits into her senior year in order to graduate on time from Aurora, nerves overtook Ruth during her speech at commencement. She ran off stage, overcome by nerves-induced illness. But then she returned to finish her speech.

"It was really symbolic of the school," said Holloway. "Make things work. Stuff happens and you move on and maybe it doesn't go the way you planned - but it doesn't keep you from doing your goal."