Teaching from Experience: A Daytop Prep Story

While walking to class, a wave of nostalgia hit Ben Tallman. As Daytop Preparatory Academy’s new General Education teacher, Ben was hired to teach English, Social Studies, and Gym. Yet, his first day at the private charter school was not his first time at the Long Island-based facility. He had been there once before – as a 17-year-old student struggling with substance use disorder.

Raised on the North Shore, Ben grew up in one of the most desirable communities on Long Island – Cold Harbor Spring. His high school boasted a list of famous alumni – like Lindsay Lohan, Wally Szczerbiak, and Meg Whitman. Still, he struggled and turned to drugs.

One week before his 17th birthday, Ben was arrested for possession of a controlled substance. He recalls it was early in the opioid epidemic when the treatment for substance use disorder was typically jail time. With a strict anti-drug policy in place, his high school expelled Ben and he was arrested on school grounds.

“After I was expelled, my parents didn’t know what to do, but they heard about Daytop Village through friends,” said Ben. It was March 2006 –only a few months left in the school year – when he transferred to the registered alternative school.

The Daytop Prep of the early 2000s was not the Daytop Prep of today. Ben explained that behavioral modification was emphasized, along with “a lot of yelling,” as he remembers.

Ben’s schedule mirrored that of a full-time job. From 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., he was at the school. Most of his day consisted of classes; the rest were group therapy sessions and chores. He even had to attend on Saturdays – from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Today the schedule begins at 9 a.m. and ends at 3 p.m., Monday-Friday.

Ben admits he was not a model student. He initially struggled with the program, resisted treatment, and ran away a few times. “I was a troubled kid,” said Ben. “I tried to fight the inevitable ‘face-my-problems’ moment I had to have.”

With a court date looming, Ben was offered a solution. Daytop Prep would advocate on his behalf if he promised to follow the treatment and academic requirements from then on. He agreed, and his case was adjourned.

It was then that the staff recognized Ben had a gift for public speaking. They invited him to join a selection of staff and students on speaking engagements at neighboring schools and organizations. Every two weeks, he and a few of his peers would speak in front of a student assembly about the dangers of drugs and alcohol. He even took part in a few media interviews.

The following year, Ben’s high school reversed his expulsion. He returned in the second semester, transferring the credits for his classes at Daytop Prep. He then graduated from Cold Spring Harbor High School in 2007.

However, addiction would creep back into his life again. In his early 20s, Ben sought treatment more than once. Through the mutual support group Narcotics Anonymous, Ben attained sobriety. He has been in recovery for the past nine years.

“Being at Daytop Prep taught me I had assets, skills I did not previously know I had,” said Ben. “I enjoyed learning about history, and I was good at speaking in front of a room of people. When I graduated from college, teaching became a natural choice for me. It had everything I liked rolled into one.”

He attended Suffolk Community College and transferred to Stony Brook University where he received his bachelor’s in liberal arts and a teacher certification. He subbed for a year in the South Huntington School District. While teaching in Brooklyn, he earned his Master of Arts in History at Queens College.

Ben had four years of experience under his belt when he learned about the job opening – from his dad. And his dad learned about it from Susan Schmidt, a former director of Daytop Prep, with whom he stayed in touch. Ben decided to apply, knowing his past experience with the facility could be an asset to the school.

Ben currently teaches 10 students. They have a range of challenges that have led them to Daytop Prep – among them, behavioral, psychological, and legal issues. However, as Ben explains, “A common thread for all of them is substance use disorder.”

As someone who was in the same shoes as his students, Ben admits it was difficult, at first, to avoid giving advice or counsel. He would constantly remind himself he was a teacher, not a therapist. He could have an opinion but must defer to the counselor for strategies and treatment.

Still, Ben does openly share his experience as someone who not only struggled with addiction but also with Daytop Prep. “I try to be real and honest with my students,” he admits. “I tell them I was a client and I still have to work every day to stay ‘clean.’”

While comparing the old Daytop Prep with today’s, Ben sees many positives. “As a student, I was pushed to realize my potential. Being yelled at and barked at was commonplace at that time. You don’t see that anymore,” he said. “However, client involvement was meaningful. We were encouraged to take our studies and treatment seriously.”

Like him, there were staff members who had recovered from addiction. As a student, Ben felt connected to them, which helped him embrace his experience there. “It was more real,” he added.

The Daytop Prep of today has an interdisciplinary team of educators and clinicians. It is not required to be in recovery but as in all of Samaritan Daytop Village's programs, there is a Peer Recovery Professional.

The school has a consistent set of rules, clear expectations, and goals for each student academically. Still, they are also clients with a treatment plan to follow. They benefit from many of the evidence-based practices used by behavioral health service providers such as cognitive behavioral therapy and motivational interviewing. Unlike Ben’s experience, students are not asked to share their experience during or after treatment with outside groups or the media.

Over the years, Daytop Prep has come up in conversation at home and within his social circles. Both of Ben’s parents were active with the Daytop Village Family Association during his time at the school. His father remained active for 12 years, and even helped run the Association’s thrift store. As Ben recalls, his father converted the family garage into a storage room for the shop.

Additionally, Ben learned that his girlfriend and a few friends were past clients. And his former counselor became a Case Manager for a local Drug Court, regularly making referrals to the agency's treatment programs.

“When you work with a population like this,” said Ben, “Daytop Prep is the difference between someone living a fruitful life and someone who is struggling.”

For employment opportunities, visit our Careers page or email hr@samaritanvillage.org. To refer a student to The Daytop Preparatory School, contact Business Education Manager Diane Gabriel at 929-288-4867 or diane.gabriel@samaritanvillage.org.