Mitchell Cohen lights up with a sly smile when he describes himself as ‘an addict.’ “I am addicted,” he jokes, “but it is not what you think.”
The 21-year old college senior is studying marketing and business at Arcadia University. He is on the Dean’s list and was awarded an academic scholarship. Before coming to Arcadia, he earned a degree in Culinary Arts at the internationally recognized Johnson and Wales University.
Above right photo: Mitchell Cohen visited with Tony Lorine, School Counselor, during Mitchell’s recent visit to GPA.
“People have always told me I was smart, but I never believed them. Now, I have a 3.7 grade point average, and am disappointed if I get less than an ‘A’. I have come to expect the best from myself,” said Cohen. “I am addicted to success.”
This spring, Cohen wrote to GPA to express his gratitude for the support and intervention he received when he was a student there. “The school turned me around. They changed the expectations I have for myself,” he said.
When Cohen was in 5th grade, he was placed out of district because of his behavior. “I was very argumentative and defiant,” he recalled. “I did not have much respect for authority.”
Cohen recalled coming to GPA with “a chip on his shoulder” and described how he got into a fight on his first day. “The teachers took me aside, but they did not yell at me. They talked to me, and made me feel more comfortable, and they really cared.”
“The school helped me learn to be accountable for my own actions,” said Cohen. “I learned that whatever I do – good or bad – has a consequence.”
“The social worker was right in our classroom, and every week, I got to talk to her alone,” said Cohen “And when our whole class met with her as a group, I realized that we all have problems, but we are all responsible for our own actions.”
After more than three years at the Academy, it became clear to staff that Cohen had developed a set of skills that would allow him to do well in his local public school. Social workers reached out to Cohen’s case manager to advocate for his return. Although initially reluctant, the local district eventually agreed and Cohen returned to his home school in the middle of 8th grade.
Today, Cohen is preparing for a career in food services marketing and sales. Proud of his accomplishments, he is also sometimes surprised by his own success. “I never thought I would be in the position I am in now, but here I am, thanks to Garfield Park Academy!”
