Jacci See of the Middleton Office is passionate about helping addicted youth. See has been active with Horizon High School in Madison - Wisconsin's only recovery high school - for 14 years and is currently Vice President of the Board of Directors at Horizon High School and helps to fundraise for the school.
Jacci wants to see more recovery high schools and see more support for these models as an alternative to incarceration. On December 8, Jacci witnessed the signing of Wisconsin Act 72 along with several others at Governor Tony Evers' office in the State Capitol. This bill was sponsored by Sen. Jesse L. James and sets aside $500,000 for at least 2 years for Horizon High School and the founding of additional recovery high schools.
"If a student is incarcerated, the cost is approximately $397,000 per year to care for that person. At Horizon, the cost is approximately $30,000 per year," said Jacci. "Recovery schools are good alternatives." She went on to say, "There are approximately 40-45 recovery schools in the nation. Massachusetts and Minnesota each have 3 in their state. I'd love to be the catalyst and help other areas start another recovery high school in Wisconsin."
Horizon High School was founded in 2004 and began it's first semester in January 2005 with nine students. Today, there are 15 students enrolled. The students have to want to be there and agree to be alcohol- and drug-free, submitting to weekly drug tests. Their sobriety is a condition of being part of Horizon High School, and the school recently hired a private counselor to help with the mental health needs of the students. Click here to learn more about Horizon High School.
Jacci was formerly head of Girl Scouts in northern Wisconsin prior to her real estate career. When she relocated to Middleton, she heard a speech about a transition school and felt the call to help. She toured the school and then became president of that organization but it had to be dissolved due to lack of funds. Soon after that, she was contacted by the then-president of the Board of Horizon High School, inviting her to join their board.
Through fundraising by Middleton Office agents and staff and matches from the First Weber Foundation, more than $20,000 has been distributed to Horizon High School since 2015.
The Middleton Office helped Jacci raise over $5,000 in December and the First Weber Foundation matched that at $2,500 for a grand total of $7,615.95. The check presentation was held recently with Jacci and some of the Middleton agents, as well as Traci Goll, Horizon High School Director, and some of the students from Horizon.
Thank you, Jacci, for making a difference in the lives of these teens, and thank you to the Middleton Office Team Members who support Jacci and Horizon High School with their generosity.