PASCO COUNTY, Fla. — For more than three years, Tampa Bay’s first recovery school has offered hope to teens who’ve struggled with addiction at no cost to their families.

Victory High School is now getting ready to open its third location, the latest in Hillsborough County, following schools in Pasco and Pinellas counties.

The nonprofit is holding a golf tournament fundraiser on Sept. 30 to help continue its mission, and it’s asking for the public’s help. One of the teams already signed up is the father-son duo of Chris and Alex Finch.

Alex said his dad is the one who introduced him to the sport.

What You Need To Know

  • Victory High School is holding its "Golfing for Victory" charity golf tournament on Sept. 30

  • Proceeds will benefit the nonprofit recovery school, which helps students dealing with addiction at no cost to families

  • Since opening its original school in Pasco County, Victory has also established a location in Pinellas County, with another opening in Hillsborough County next month

  • PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Tampa Bay's First Recovery High School to Open in Pasco County

"I wasn't really good at all, and I'm still not too good, but I started trying it a lot and playing with him," said Alex. "Now, I go out with some of my friends sometimes."

The Finches recently honed their putting skills at Seven Springs Golf Course and Country Club in New Port Richey, where the "Golfing for Victory" tournament will take place. It's a cause close to both of their hearts. Alex enrolled at Victory last year.

"At first, I was, like, kind of weird about it. I didn't like it very much, and slowly, I started getting used to it," Alex said.

Victory combines academics with non-traditional lessons, like equine therapy. The ultimate goal is to help students stay sober. 

Alex struggled with drugs and alcohol. He went to rehab, which he said helped, but his parents suggested Victory when he started to run into trouble.

"It would be a place where he would be accepted, he would have the space that he needed to be able to work on his education, but at the same time, also continue to work to his recovery," said Chris.

"At first, it was that there were people there who can help me and be there for me, and that just slowly kept me going," Alex said of why he thinks Victory worked for him. "To be honest, by now, it's also that I can try to help other people that are there."

Victory's founder, Tina Miller, said the student attendance rate is 96 percent, their recovery rate is 93 percent, eight students have graduated and the highest graduate GPA was 4.11.

“It’s mind-blowing to me because this was a dream I had for, like, five years before I actually started it,” Miller said.

And Miller’s dream is catching — especially since she and a student appeared on “The Kelly Clarkson Show” earlier this year.

“I actually heard from folks around the United States that wanted Victory High School in different states — Ohio, LA, New York, you name it,” Miller said.

This month’s fundraiser is about helping Victory continue its work. Alex said the school’s got him thinking about his own future.

“I really want to go to, like, a cool, amazing college or university,” he said.

“Those were things that, when he was in the midst of going through the struggles that he was going through, those were things he wasn’t thinking about,” said Chris. “So, that’s a big change.”

Anyone interested in taking part in Golfing for Victory can sign up on at event website, Golfing for Victory Charity Tournament.