Moore High School Student Turns Her Life Around Through Alternative School

Makayla Delay was struggling in school and in life, and in her words, her future was the last thing on her mind.

“I just had a lot of bad stuff going on at home,” said Delay.

Dealing with stuff that no teenager should have to deal with.

“My parents are both addicts, they’re recovering addicts right now,” said Delay.

Her instability at home was affecting her focus at school.

“My grades were pretty bad, my attendance was honestly horrible,” said Delay.

With no hopes of graduating, a counselor at her high school suggested she try an alternative school.

“Vista kind of took a chance on me, despite all the negatives,” said Delay.

Vista is an alternative school in Moore, but students must apply and be accepted by the school to attend.

“So many students when they come here, they’ve lost hope in learning, they don’t like school,” said Vista Principal Hart Brown.

“Makayla is definitely one of our success stories. When she came here, she was behind on her credits, she had some attendance problems,” said Brown.

“I was able to use those bad ugly things as a way to become something better,” said Delay.

With the support and encouragement of her teachers, MaKayla began to thrive, raising her GPA to a 3.0.

“When I got here it was a one point five,” said Delay.

With her renewed focus, she’s not only graduating this year, but she’s also graduating a year early.

“We designated her as our student of the year, and then we nominated her for the student of the year through the South Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce,” said Brown.

That recognition comes with a full scholarship.

“I didn’t win student of the year, but they gave me a full ride scholarship to OCCC,” said Delay.

She is now the first person in her family to attend college.  

Delay’s parents always encouraged her to work hard, and believe this accomplishment is the breaking of a generational curse that will hopefully set a standard for her younger brother and sister to follow in her footsteps.

“I am going to get my associates in biological sciences, and then I’m going to UCO, and I am going to get my bachelor’s degree in biological sciences and another in forensic investigations,” said Delay.

A complete turnaround for the student that wouldn’t go to class.

“My number one saying is, ‘it is what it is,’ that’s what I always say.”