Since 2001, the Detroit Lions Academy has served over-age middle school students getting back on track for high school. Following a 2023 merger with Westside School of Technology and Legacy Academy, the DLA now includes a credit recovery program to help high schoolers graduate on time.
More than 400 students attend the academy, where small class sizes allow for individualized attention. “We’ve got great family here,” says principal Alean King. “Our kids lean on us for more than just academics.”
The Detroit Lions Foundation extends support beyond the classroom, sponsoring career-focused field trips, a year-round food and clothing pantry, a brand-new on-site fitness center, and weekly visits from Detroit Lions players, wives, and staff, who provide personal mentorship and teach practical skills, from writing a resume to acing a job interview.
For King, the most rewarding moments come when students choose to believe in themselves.
A former problem student stops by with a Wayne State University backpack slung over his shoulder. An orphaned student whose foster home burned down submits his first college application after the academy helped replace his Social Security card. And each year, more students walk across the stage at Ford Field to accept their diplomas. (In 2025-2026, graduation rates rose by 30.4%.)
“I believe that our students do have grit,” King says. “We have students that come from so many different circumstances and still show up for school every day. … They understand that ‘I gotta keep fighting through this if I want this.’”
This story originally appeared in the September 2026 issue of Hour Detroit magazine. To read more, pick up a copy of Hour Detroit at a local retail outlet. Click here to get our digital edition.
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