My life forever changed since the last time I was incarcerated. I was placed on 5 years probation and had to meet with my probation officer every week. At first I really wasn't looking forward to going but after I went I realized that these people are here to help me get on the right track so I changed my whole attitude about it and instead took full advantage of what they had to offer. I joined some classes and the teachers really saw that I had potential and referred me to Five Keys Charter School to get my high school diploma. After 2 years of high school classes I finally got my diploma and then my teacher told me about a scholarship that I should apply for at the Academy of Arts University. A couple of months later I was awarded the Presidential Scholarship and I am currently enrolled in my 4th year. I always tell people about how going to jail and probation saved my life because I believe it really did. I was living in a tent and in an abusive relationship when I was incarcerated but my teachers and probation officers helped me to overcome these obstacles with classes and support. My teachers really believed in me and that made me start to believe in myself. Today I have housing and a car and I work and go to school full-time. I love art and painting portraits and cityscapes. I paint many people of the homeless community because I feel like they are often overlooked and I hope to encourage people to be more compassionate to those who are less fortunate than us. One day I would like to open a commuity art center and gallery in my town of Vallejo and I would welcome all walks of life to take part in creating some form of art from music to painting and drawing.

Hello, my name is Dana Saville and I have been sober for 11 years. I am 53 years old and I am a student at the Academy of Arts University for almost 4 years. I was on heroin for 12 years and I tried several times to get off the drugs but as you may know, it isn't an easy task. I have been homeless, a victim of abuse and domestic violence, and am prone to bouts of depression. Recovery to me is not just about getting off drugs but it is also about learning how to cope with your feelings in a positive way. Recovery is also all about finding yourself and learning to love yourself. Therapy is also so important because it forces you to think about your actions in a cognitive way and you learn how to learn from your mistakes. I think it is important to let people know that no one gets it right the first time and that we should embrace our mistakes in order to learn. The past 10 years have been a journey that I am proud of because through my recovery I found art and I managed to love myself enough to go back to school

Hello, my name is Dana Saville and I have been sober for 11 years. I am 53 years old and I am a student at the Academy of Arts University for almost 4 years. I was on heroin for 12 years and I tried several times to get off the drugs but as you may know, it isn't an easy task. The last time I went into recovery was 11 years ago and that was the last time I used it. It did take me many times of trying and failing but I think that is how we learn is from failing. I have been homeless, a victim of abuse and domestic violence, and am prone to bouts of depression. Recovery to me is not just about getting off drugs but it is also about learning how to cope with your feelings in a positive way. Recovery is also all about finding yourself and learning to love yourself. Therapy is also so important because it forces you to think about your actions in a cognitive way and you learn how to learn from your mistakes. As I mentioned it took several times of trying but I finally did it but I know there are people out there that try a couple of times to get sober and then give up. Well, I think it is important to let people know that no one gets it right the first time and that we should embrace our mistakes in order to learn. That is what life is all about. The past 10 years have been a journey that I am proud of because through my recovery I found art and I managed to love myself enough to go back to high school and get my diploma, which I did in 2018, then I applied for a scholarship at Academy of Arts University which I was awarded in 2019. This is the last year of my scholarship and I will need money to pay for a year and 1/2 in order to receive my bachelor's degree. Thank you for the opportunity to apply.