NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. — Graduating high school is a big milestone in a person’s life, but for students without a strong support system, it is a goal they never get to achieve.

What You Need To Know

  • New Smyrna Beach nonprofit organization Cudas Unhooked provides the necessary support to at-risk/homeless students dedicated to becoming educated, independent, contributing members of society. 

  • Since it was founded in 2009, Cudas Unhooked has helped more than 300 at-risk/homeless teens in various ways from mentoring to personal development, to shelter. They also cover students’ fees in school, pay for their prom dresses, yearbook, homecoming and any other activities they couldn’t afford otherwise.

  • More than 90% of the seniors involved with Cudas Unhooked have graduated high school. 

  • In 2015 Habitat for Humanity donated a parcel of land to Cudas Unhooked and the organization, with the help of the community, was able to build the new Cuda House, offering permanent shelter to high school students. 

According to the Florida Department of Education, the high school graduation rate increased to 88% in the 2022-2023 school year. That means there’s still 12% of students who did not graduate. Out of those who didn’t graduate, 2.8% decided to drop out and never returned to pursue a GED or certificate — that’s a total of 5,765 students in the state. 

New Smyrna Beach resident Shawn Lane is the founding chairman of the nonprofit Cudas Unhooked, an organization helping at-risk youth graduate from high school.

“We want to make sure that they walk across that stage (…) that’s our primary goal. In addition to that, other goals are to encourage them to be productive citizens and to go out and to work hard and to make the most of their life that they can, and it’s up to them,” Lane said.

Lane said the idea for the organization came to him on a Sunday morning while reading the newspaper.

“There was an article in there about homeless high school students here at New Smyrna Beach High School. And from that, I sent out an email to my neighbors, and then the very next day, I went to the high school and said, ‘Tell me more. How can we help?’”

After meeting with the high school principal and the guidance counselor, Lane said within two weeks they had rented their first house where they began running the program in 2009.

The name “Cudas Unhooked” was inspired by the mascot at New Smyrna Beach High School — the barracuda. The second word “unhooked” the students came up with it, meaning once they join the organization, they’re unhooked from all obstacles to graduate from high school.

For the past 15 years, Cudas Unhooked has helped more than 300 at-risk/homeless teens in various ways, from mentoring to personal development, to shelter. They also cover students’ fees in school, pay for their prom dresses, yearbook, homecoming and any other activities they couldn’t afford otherwise.

Lane said students are introduced to Cudas Unhooked in different ways, either by a school counselor, a family member or friend, or a church in the community. Once they are part of the program, Cudas Unhooked provides them with all the resources they need to succeed and graduate.

“We’re very proud that we have a high 90% graduation rate. And if you really think about the circumstances of the students that are in our program, they’re classified at risk, most of them (…) We’re very thankful for that and proud of that. And again, the formula is simple: pay attention, give them love, give them direction, earn their trust, and that’s what helps them get from one semester to the next,” Lane said.

In 2015, Habitat for Humanity donated a parcel of land to Cudas Unhooked and the organization, with the help of the community, were able to build the new Cuda House. New Smyrna Beach Senior High School student Payton Mary Jo Wilke moved into the Cuda House in October last year.

“I’ve kind of lived everywhere from home to home, and my social service lady Ms. Stephenson helped me find Cudas Unhooked and I got in contact with them. They sat down, had a meeting with me, and they welcomed me to this lovely home,” Wilke said.

Since moving into the Cuda House, Wilke said she’s been able to get a part-time job, succeed in school and accomplish her goals.

“I feel happier than I’ve ever been,” she said.

In her room, she has memories of all the homes she’s lived in and her family members.

“This is my mom, and that’s my brother and my sister and me,” she shared.

Wilke said she loves acting and modeling. Once she graduates high school, she said she plans to join the military to help people.

“I want to go into the medical field in the Air Force and on the side, I want to do acting and modeling and build my career up,” Wilke said.

She has a love for arts, and she spends a lot of time in a study room she shares with other students who also live in the Cuda House and attend New Smyrna Beach High School.

“I really love having people I go to school with because me and Haylie, we knew each other since kindergarten. I just met Kelsey, but you know it’s like we knew each other for a long time. It’s so easy to connect with people here,” Wilke said.

The teens who live in the house share everything from playing games together, doing their homework, getting a job, to learning how to cook, all under the guidance of house parent Maggie Iverson.

“All the kids come here from totally different areas of life and different circumstances, and the stories are sad most of the time. However, watching them grow as we work on everything from anywhere, from manners, you know, up to what their goals are going to be and watching them grow — that is the most amazing part,” Iverson said.

Iverson has been a house parent at the Cuda House for the past two and a half years, living in the house full-time while supervising and helping the students with their day-to-day tasks. She said every week they have a house meeting where all the kids sit down together to go over their schedules, appointments, goals for the month, and to organize their monthly calendar. Students also have assigned house chores they have to complete weekly.  

Director of Student Services Sandy Cheney leads the Cudas Unhooked Club at New Smyrna Beach High School. Cheney meets with students every Tuesday for one hour, where they get to hear from mentors and local leaders.

“We have all walks of life come in and talk to the kids about careers, whether it be going to college or trade school,” Cheney said.

The students enrolled in the club also volunteer in the community for different organizations, like the Chamber of Commerce.

Pictures framed on the kitchen wall of the Cuda House show students who have graduated from the program throughout the years. Among them, Smyrna Peterson, who got involved with Cudas Unhooked her sophomore year of high school.

“After I graduated, Cudas Unhooked actually helped me get my first college dorm. So, they helped me move in, they helped me get supplies I needed, like, you know, dorm basics. And they kind of, you know, set me free,” Peterson said.

Today, she’s the marketing coordinator for Cudas Unhooked, giving back to the organization that gave her so much. 

“I would not be where I am today without Cudas Unhooked. I owe absolutely everything that I’ve accomplished so far to this organization, and I think Cudas Unhooked should be in every single high school across the United States,” Peterson said.

Wilke said she’s grateful to live in the Cuda House, as she reminds herself and those around her that no matter what she’s been through, there’s always a way to move forward.

“Everything happens for a reason, and you will always find light in the dark,” Wilke said.

Cudas Unhooked welcomes volunteers and mentors to help the students they serve. Members of the organization encourage anyone who feels like they have a talent to help and would like to join the team to visit their website.

They are looking for tutors, mentors, coaches, and volunteers to help with transportation of the students.