11/05/09 Bend

46 year old Archie Hamilton, a recovering drug addict, now spends his time helping troubled boys. "I have a beautiful career today at Bridges Boys Academy, I work with adolescent boys ages 13 through 18 who have made poor choices and they're trying to get their lives back together,"

Archie has been clean for four years, overcoming 15 years of addiction to meth. 25 year old Kara Williams, a 12 time convicted felon has been clean for three years after seven years controlled by her meth addiction. 31 year old Zane Isbell has been clean for three years after a 15 year battle with meth addiction.

Any one of them will tell you-- it's hard to get back to a life earning an honest living. "It's very difficult, it's very humbling, you know from being turned down at fast food restaurants for a job when I had nothing else I have no sort of resume to present to anyone you know, I've had to start at the absolute bottom," said Isbell.

Zane is in his second year at Central Oregon Community College hoping to be a firefighter, even though his felony record raised several obstacles. He and Kara help manage vacation properties. Kara also owns her own cleaning business and is a student at COCC aiming to become a drug and alcohol counselor for youth. Archie is also planning to become a drug and alcohol counselor and is a constant support system at Deschutes Family Drug Court helping the same judge who has put him in prison three times. "I see him in the back of the court room during family drug court fairly often, he's a good support system for a number of people who go through, he's so active in 12 step that he runs into many of them," said Judge Alta Brady who heads up Family Drug Court.

Many recovering addicts speak in local schools, hoping their life lessons will reach at least one student, and keep them from following the same destructive path of addiction. "I want people to know that destruction is real ...that it is a part of the lifestyle whether they choose to accept that or not... it's the choice they get to make," said Isbell.

"I think it's surprising how only a few people who chose to do drugs ever realize that they have an addiction and they need to get help," said Summit High School Student.

"My friends need to hear that alcohol and marijuana especially can harm your life pretty much forever and it's best to stop now before you get into crime and you get yourself and others hurt." said Summit High School student Jamie MacRae.