In Waynesboro, Georgia, 189 students are preparing for a moment they once thought would never come. This Saturday on October 25th, they will walk the stage as graduates of Tiers Free Homeschool Cooperative, a program that has redefined what second chances in education look like.
Founded by Dr. Annise Mabry, the cooperative began in 2012 when she decided to homeschool her own children after seeing how traditional schools failed to meet their needs. What started as a personal effort soon became a movement. By 2016, she opened the doors to other families, creating what is now the only grant-funded homeschool cooperative in Georgia that partners directly with law enforcement to help at-risk youth earn their diplomas.
“These graduates aren’t just crossing a stage, they’re crossing into a new chapter of their lives,” says Dr. Mabry. “Every student here represents a story of courage, redemption, and hope.”
The Tiers Free model takes a trauma-informed approach to education, recognizing that students often carry heavy emotional and life challenges into the classroom. By combining flexible academic structure with wraparound community support, the program helps students facing barriers such as homelessness, incarceration, and expulsion find both stability and purpose.
Over the past decade, the program has supported more than 6,000 families, giving students the tools to rebuild their confidence and their futures. Saturday’s ceremony marks one of Tiers Free’s largest graduating classes yet, a reflection of its continued growth and impact across Georgia.
Dr. Mabry’s vision for Tiers Free Academy was never just about academics. It was about creating a safe space for healing and possibility. What began as her response to a broken system has become a statewide model of hope and reform.
At the heart of Tiers Free is the belief that education should meet students where they are and take them where they dream to go. As 189 new graduates step into their next chapter, their caps and gowns represent more than achievement—they symbolize resilience, restoration, and the promise of a new beginning.
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