Jaylen's journey: Rochambeau senior turns challenges into triumphs

For Rochambeau Alternative High School senior Jaylen Inniss, art became a creative outlet and a pathway toward a future he once never imagined before he decided to attend SUNY-Purchase to become a teacher.

Jaylen, who was an aspiring tattoo artist, said he feels as though he found both his voice and the environment where he truly belongs at Rochambeau, which he likens to a family that he is about to bid farewell.

“It’s bittersweet,” Jaylen said of graduation around the corner. “I’m excited for this chapter of my life to be over because I want to know what the next page brings. But it’s also scary turning that page because I’m going to miss everybody.”

Raised primarily in White Plains, Jaylen spent part of his early childhood living in Port Chester. Growing up alongside his older and younger sisters, he said family was always central to his life, even during difficult moments such as his parents’ divorce during middle school.

“That kind of made middle school a rough chapter,” he said. “Overall, it was still a happy home.”

But his early childhood years were marred by persistent bullying, experiences that deeply affected his confidence and self-image.

“They would pick on me for anything,” he recalled. “If I was the only one in class without black pants on, they would make fun of me for that. I always wondered, ‘Why me?’ But eventually I realized the answer to that question doesn’t really matter. It’s how you deal with it.”

Coming to Rochambeau changed everything.

“When I first got here, I thought it was going to be like jail,” he said with a laugh. “I thought I was going to have to fight for my respect. But my first day, kids greeted me, teachers greeted me, somebody showed me around the school. It completely changed my perspective.”

Instead of the hostile environment he expected, Jaylen found a close-knit, nurturing community.

“It really does feel like one big family here,” he said. “Even when there are conflicts, it feels more like sibling debates than anything serious. Everybody genuinely cares.”

That sense of belonging helped Jaylen gradually emerge as a leader among his peers. As a student leader who often advocates for classmates by speaking with administrators about student concerns, he has become someone younger students look up to — even if he remains modest about it.

“I don’t really like to toot my own horn,” he admitted. “But people do come to me when they need help with things.”

He credits much of his emotional growth to Rochambeau staff members, especially psychologist Michael Sullivan.

“When I first got here, I was very hotheaded,” Jaylen said. “Mr. Sullivan made sure I always had somebody to talk to. He taught me emotional intelligence and how to regulate my emotions instead of letting them control me. I honestly bring him up whenever I talk about how much I’ve grown.”

Jaylen’s passion for art has also become a major part of his identity and future plans.

This year, after four periods at Rochambeau, he travels daily to BOCES to study graphic design, where he is learning Photoshop, AI-assisted design, color theory, sketching and logo creation.

“At first, I wanted to leave,” he admitted. “I was crying to my teacher saying, ‘I can’t do this.’ But my BOCES teacher believed in me and made sure I stayed. Now I really enjoy it.”

Originally, Jaylen did not plan on attending college. His dream was to pursue a tattoo apprenticeship and eventually open his own studio. But encouragement from his guidance counselor, Kathy Nguy, helped change the course of his future.

“She told me about free SUNY application week and made me apply to schools,” he said. “Purchase had a strong art program, and once I toured the campus, everything clicked.”

What stood out most to him was the school’s diversity and individuality.

“Nobody there looked the same,” he said. “Everybody was just themselves. It felt comforting because I realized I wouldn’t have to force myself to fit in anywhere.”

Jaylen also said the school’s highly competitive art program appealed to him because it would push him to grow creatively.

“If nobody challenges you, you stay in one spot,” he said. “Competition helps you improve.”

His long-term goal is to become an art teacher — a path inspired partly by his experiences working with children through the White Plains Youth Bureau, library programs and youth activities.

“I’ve always been good with kids,” he said. “I tried camp counseling, and parents would ask for their kids to come back because of me. Even after long days, I’d go home feeling rewarded. That’s when I realized teaching might really be for me.”

Outside school, Jaylen continues honing his artistic skills independently, including practicing tattoo artistry using fake skin, sketchbooks and tattoo machines.

“I like realistic art because it helps me perfect details,” he said. “But I’m trying to stay open-minded and learn every style.”

As graduation approaches, Jaylen said Rochambeau’s culture and traditions — especially events like the school’s senior barbecue and games between students and staff — are memories he will carry with him long after he leaves.

“Those days really show you that Rochambeau is family-oriented,” he said. “I’ll definitely miss the memories.”

Still, he now looks toward the future with optimism rather than fear — a major transformation from the uncertain student who first walked through Rochambeau’s doors several years ago.

“I honestly feel like I’m where everybody else was when I used to look up to them,” Jaylen said. “I feel like I’ve grown into the person I wanted to become.”