OnChicago’sWestSide,thereisaschoolforthecity’smostat-riskyouth-theMosesMontefioreAcademy.MostofthestudentsatMontefiorehavebeenkickedoutofotherschoolsforaggressivebehavior,andmanyhavebeendiagnosedwithemotionaldisorders.LastChanceHightakesviewersinsideMontefiore’sclassroomsandintothehomesofstudentswhoareonemistakeawayfrombeinglockeduporcommittedtoamentalhospital.Inthefirstepisodeoftheeight-partoriginalVICENewsseriesweareintroducedtotwo14-year-oldMontefiorestudents,CortezandCrystal,whoweresenttotheschoolafterviolentlyattackingteachers.Cortez’smotherblamestheboy’sfather,whoisservingalifesentenceformurder.CrystalhasstabbedherclassmatesandbeencaughtshopliftingsincearrivingtoMontefiore,whichhaslefthermotheronthevergeofanervousbreakdown.Thoughthetaskcanbeoverwhelming,theMontefiorestaffnevergivesuptryingtoreachthecity’smostdifficult…WrittenbyVICENews