Episode 18 - Anchored - Tyler Bastian

Tyler Bastian never set out to run a school. A filmmaker and entrepreneur, he was used to telling stories—not stepping into them. But when he founded Roots Charter High School, a farm-based refuge for at-risk teens, he walked straight into a battle for their lives. Seven suicide attempts a year. Fights fueled by pain. Students who felt invisible. Then came 243—a secret code echoed in hallways and etched onto school walls, a silent reminder that meant We love you. Through the power of love, Tyler watched walls crumble and hope take root. Fights turned into friendships. Diversity became strength. And where despair once ruled, the Spirit stepped in as the healer. Now, he limps through weekends just to get back to the mission that fuels him—showing his students they are seen, they belong, and they are loved.You can find Tyler at:www.rootshigh.orgInstagram @teach_243