Learning the HardWay Recovering addict stops chasing the high to chase a higher education It’s never too late to reinvent yourself.That’s what April Steele did when she went back to college at age 47, recovering from 25 years spent cycling repeatedly through active addiction, incarceration and recovery. In 2009 Steele sought the help of Sobriety Through Outpatient (STOP), One Day at a Time (ODAAT) and Philadelphia Recovery Community Center (PRCC) for the second time in two years. “I came from running around homeless and I had had enough,” says Steele. “They took me back.They didn’t beat me up, but they told me about myself and it was what I needed to hear.”They encouraged her to pursue an education when she was ready; she decided on a degree in human services as the most fitting option, followed by a master’s degree in social work, which she is currently pursuing. “I came from running arounD Stable beginnings It’s not Steele’s first time attending college. After graduating from high
school in suburban Chester County, she studied to be an accountant. When that didn’t work out, she joined the military briefly to cover future education expenses.
homeless and I had had enough. They took me back. They didn’t beat me up, but they told me about myself and it was what I needed
to hear.” - April Steele client of STOP and ODAAT
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