APPLETON (NBC 26) — At first glance, Central High School in Appleton looks like any other school.
But for the students inside, it can mean the difference between falling through the cracks and finding a future.
Central High School serves students in the Appleton Area School District who need a different path than a traditional classroom can offer. Some are behind on credits. Others are dealing with instability at home, mental health struggles, or substance use. The goal is not just to help them finish school, but to help them see a way forward.
For senior Santee Lassil, that path once felt out of reach.
“I didn't really have a future or a plan for my future or anything,” Lassil said. “I was more of a troublemaker. I got into substances and stuff, and I used to just skip a lot of school and used to not care about myself.”
Lassil said he came to Central feeling lost after a friend told him about the school. Once he got there, he said, something felt different.
“The first thing I noticed was the way how the teachers and how Mr. Heitl, the principal, and everyone, every teacher here treated a person,” Lassil said. “Everyone here, every teacher, they get to know you personally.”
That personal connection is at the center of Central’s model.
Central students are making a real impact… in ways that go far beyond the classroom.
Senior, Santee Lassil shares his story.
Principal Justin Heitl said students are often referred to the school when the traditional setting is no longer working. Once they arrive, he said, the first step is helping them find their motivation.
“We help kiddos find the why,” Heitl said. “Once a student figures out their why, they kind of run with it themselves.”
At Central, the school day is shorter, and class sizes are smaller. Staff work one-on-one with students to build a plan and connect families with support.
For senior Haylee Vu, that approach made all the difference.
“I failed both my freshman and sophomore year, so I was completely behind on everyone in my class,” Vu said. “Then junior year I caught up because they were able to make a plan for me so I can actually graduate on time.”
Vu said before coming to Central, she started to believe school simply was not for her. That changed quickly.
“I went from straight F's to straight A's as soon as I came to Central,” she said.
Now, she is graduating on time and heading to Fox Valley Technical College to study wildlife conservation.
For senior Elia Gonzalez, the impact was even deeper.
Asked where she thinks she would be without Central, Gonzalez did not hesitate.
“Probably still using, probably still like hurting myself, maybe not alive,” she said. “I'll be so honest.”
Stories like that are why staff at Central say they push back on the stigma that can surround alternative schools.
“If you haven't walked in somebody's shoes, don't judge them,” Heitl said. “Be curious, not judgmental.”
For the students at Central, this is not about giving up. It is about catching up, starting over, and realizing what they are capable of.
Lassil said the program gave him something he did not have before.
“What I've gotten the most was I guess an unclouded future for myself,” he said. “Me personally have become the outcome of what this is and what this program does, teaching, learning, and accepting second chances.”
For these students, Central High School was not just another option.
It was a turning point.
About Central High School:
Central High School is part of the Appleton Area School District and serves students who need a different path to graduation.
If you or someone you know is struggling in a traditional classroom setting, more information about enrollment and support services is available through the district.
