What it Takes to Get Me Through

Academy at Swift River, Group 23 / Admissions Summary

 

 

Name: Bianca Suarez Bittman

Hometown: West Palm Beach, Florida

Presenting problems: Lying, sneaking out with boyfriend, cutting classes, disrespect to father

Mother: Teresa, nurse (deceased)

Father: Alan, network administrator at a college

Remarks: Bianca hasn’t dealt with mother’s death from cancer

Siblings: Twin brother and older sister; both are doing well

 

Name: Mary Alice Chambliss

Hometown: Dallas, Texas

Presenting problems: Eating disorder, drug use, smoking, promiscuity, refuses to be with family

Mother: Lillian, dermatologist, on leave from her practice (currently full-time mother)

Father: Burns, business executive

Remarks: Mary Alice is a “mystery kid”; no obvious cause of problems; family appears to have it all

Siblings: Three younger siblings

 

Name: Tyrone Harriston

Hometown: Queens, New York

Presenting problems: Refuses to attend school, plays video games till 3 a.m., suicidal thoughts

Mother: Natalie, phone company technician

Father: Lerone, various jobs

Remarks: Bitter divorce, dad forced to leave house

Siblings: Older sister (unmarried, with toddler)

 

Name: D.J. Pandowski

Hometown: Suburban New Jersey

Presenting problems: Plays with fire, ran away, impulsive, poor grades

Mother: Janice, teacher

Father: Teodor, teacher

Remarks: D.J. is adopted, has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Siblings: None

 

Notes on some other members of Group 23:

 

 

Andy: Drinks and drives, defiant with parents

 

Ashley: From Manhattan’s most exclusive neighborhood, has problems with boys, possible drug use, upset about adoption

 

Trevor: Used Ecstasy, cocaine, and other drugs with his friends at home, almost died from drug use

 

Phil “the Philosopher”: Lived around the world, used
heroin at age fifteen, expelled from four schools

 

Tanner (“Teddy Bear”): Drinking, hanging out with a gang, bought a gun

 

Eva “the everything kid”: Anorexia, bulimia, rape, alcohol, suicide attempt

 

Willow: Cocaine, heroin, abusive boyfriend; a friend died from overdose

 

 

 

 

Counselor: Tanya Beecher, earned master’s in social work from Smith
College

 

Teacher liaison: Gennarose Pope, studied English literature at Columbia

University

 

 

Note: These summaries are based on information provided to the admissions office when the families applied. The names of students and their families have been changed, as has one hometown.

For more information, and for updates on the characters, visit www.DaveMarcus.com

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