Third Annual Gala for Recovery
February 22, 2025 @ 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
About Wake Monarch Academy
Wake Monarch Academy is the Triangle’s first and only recovery high school. Our mission is to provide a safe and supportive environment that empowers adolescents recovering from substance use disorders to successfully pursue academic, personal, and professional goals. We’re a private, nonprofit organization that provides a high school experience in a peer-driven setting.
June 2024 graduates accomplished:
Celebrated
1200+
sober days
Average
3.0+
GPA
Graduated
3
students in 2024
About Darryl Strawberry
Darryl Strawberry is described as a legend by many who
have been dazzled by the dynamics of his game, the
power he possessed at the plate and the story of
redemption that continues to bring hope to so many lives.
He has earned the legendary nicknames and phrases of
one of the most feared home run hitters in the game of
baseball, Straw’s Sweet Swing, Strawberry’s Field Forever
and The Legendary Straw Man!
Though Darryl was extremely successful in his career, his
personal life was plagued with addictions, abuse, divorces,
cancer, jail-time and other issues. Darryl finally found true
redemption. Come hear his story.
About Renee Chou
Renee Chou is a three-time, Emmy award-winning
anchor/reporter for WRAL-TV News. She’s anchored
WRAL Morning News now for nearly 10 years. You
can wake up with her every weekday morning on
WRAL from 4:30 to 7 a.m. and from 7 to 8 a.m. on
Fox 50. She also anchors WRAL’s Noon Newscast,
anchoring 4.5 hours of live TV every day in addition
to special assignments. She joined WRAL in October
2004 as a general assignment reporter. Through the
years, she served as the weekend morning anchor
and weekend evening anchor.
