February 27, 2026 | Hali Schaefer
When twin sisters Amaya and Aubrey walked through the doors of Santa Rosa Acceleration Academies last August, they weren’t sure what to expect.
Both 14, both recently expelled from their previous school and both carrying more than their share of challenges, they arrived guarded. Suspicious. Prepared for another environment where they felt misunderstood.
Instead, they found something different.
They found a fresh start.
From Expulsion to Opportunity
Before enrolling at Santa Rosa Acceleration Academies in Milton, Fl., Amaya and Aubrey struggled in a traditional school setting. Fighting, referrals and outside pressures created a cycle that felt impossible to break.
For Amaya, that cycle extended beyond school discipline. She is currently navigating probation requirements until the age of 19 and the weight of knowing that one wrong step could mean serious consequences.
“I can’t get a referral,” she explained. “If I do, it’s a violation.”
That kind of pressure would overwhelm most teenagers.
But, at Santa Rosa Acceleration Academies, the sisters found adults who didn’t define them by their past mistakes.
Building Relationships
Santa Rosa Acceleration Academies (SRAA) offers two pathways for students: alternative education placement for middle and high schoolers and dropout re-engagement for grades 9-12.
For young learners like Amaya and Aubrey who experience expulsion from their district school, SRAA offers a supportive learning environment that focuses on fostering student-teacher relationships. Every student benefits from a team of dedicated content coaches and mentors who craft personalized learning plans to meet each student’s unique academic and socio-emotional needs.
Right away, one of the first things Aubrey noticed was the way the staff treated her.
“In regular school, if we’re respectful to you, we want that respect back,” she said. “Some of the teachers at my old school never really gave me that.”
At SRAA, she says, it feels different.
“When I see all the teachers, I say hi to everybody. Their faces just light up.”
That mutual respect became the foundation for everything else — academic progress, emotional growth and trust — and Aubrey and Amaya were able to finally let their guard down.
Both girls formed close bonds with Academy Director Lauren Molier and State Director Marcus Moore, as well as staff members Math Content Coach Natalie Kozminsky, Registrar Katie Tener and Social Studies Content Coach Jeri Shaffer.
When Aubrey failed a test and felt defeated, Molier sat beside her, walked through the questions and helped her learn how to trust her instincts.
“I don’t go with my gut feeling when I test,” Aubrey admitted. “And it’s always the right answer.”
With the support of the Santa Rosa Acceleration Academies team, she’s learning to believe in herself academically and personally.
Learning to Control Anger and Build a Future
For Amaya, growth has looked different but just as powerful.
“The teachers here teach me how to control my anger,” she said.
When emotions rise, staff don’t escalate situations. Instead, they help her regulate. Sometimes that means sitting quietly in the director’s office. Sometimes it means holding a small rock in her hand to stay grounded.
“They want me to go back to regular school,” she said. “But they just need me to change first.”
And she is.
The coping skills she’s building now are tools she believes she’ll carry into high school, and into adulthood.
Academic Momentum
The personalized support of Acceleration Academies has been transformative for both sisters.
Instead of sitting through material they already understand, they move at their own pace. If they grasp the content, they advance.
“I can finish one class in less than two days,” Aubrey said. “At regular school it takes the whole semester.”
Since August, each sister has completed six or seven courses.
Aubrey recently earned four As — the best grades she’s ever had.
“I told my mom I’m making dad take me to Krispy Kreme because they give free donuts for As,” she laughed.
It’s a small celebration. But for a student who once struggled to stay on track, it’s everything.
More Than a School
When asked how they’ll look back on their time at Santa Rosa Acceleration Academies years from now, Aubrey didn’t hesitate.
“The only reason I made it there [to graduation] is because of this school.”
That’s a powerful statement from a student who once thought she might not make it at all.
The sisters recently completed their 8th grade credits with the support of Santa Rosa Acceleration Academies and have been promoted to the 9th grade.
Looking ahead, their goals are simple: graduate. Build stable futures. Maybe even become a real estate agent (Aubrey admits the earning potential is appealing).
For Amaya and Aubrey, Santa Rosa Acceleration Academies wasn’t just a placement after expulsion.
It was a reset.
A place where relationships are nurtured.
A place to grow and develop independence.
A place where adults use their “mom voice” because they care.
A place where faces light up when students walk in the room.
And for two sisters determined to rewrite their story, that has made all the difference.
Santa Rosa Acceleration Academies in Milton, Fl., partners with Santa Rosa County District Schools to offer an alternative education option for middle and high school students in Santa Rosa County. Santa Rosa Acceleration Academies offers two pathways for students: alternative education placement and dropout re-engagement. Learn more about the program.