Jason Irrgang struggled with drug addiction in high school, which interfered with his education. The 30-year-old was fortunate enough to attend a continuation school that set his life back on track before the education system gave up on him. Now, Irrgang devotes much of his time helping at-risk youth pass their state exams, so they can graduate and have a second chance just like he did.
Irrgang had lived in Eugene for eight years when he decided to transfer from Lane Community College to the University of Oregon where he is now a junior working toward a degree in English. His passion for helping at-risk youth was sparked while attending LCC. His professors held high expectations for all of their students, even the ones that faced difficult challenges.
“They treat those students like they can accomplish a lot,” Irrgang said. His passion for helping others was solidified when Betsy Wheeler, his professor for teen and young adult literacy, required her students to volunteer at a local literacy program. Wheeler’s passion for helping others encouraged him to do the same. “When I started tutoring this one kid, it was like I was looking at me ten years ago. It was very gratifying,” he said.
Today, Irrgang volunteers as a tutor at the Eugene Riverfront School, which is a part of the Looking Glass program that provides youth and family services for more than 8,500 children affected by abuse, neglect, educational deficits, mental health issues, drug addiction and homelessness.
One of his proudest accomplishments so far was when he helped a student pass the Oregon Assessment of Knowledge and Skills exam. The student had taken the exam multiple times without success, but after Irrgang spent months tutoring him, he finally passed and is now able to pursue his dream of going to college.
“I ran around the 7-Eleven parking lot like an insane person, I was saying over and over again, ‘he passed the test!’ People were staring at me, but I didn’t care because he worked so hard,” Irrgang said. “It was his victory, but it was also my victory.”
Irrgang’s goal is to help people get their lives back on track faster than he did. “I’m not trying to change the world. I’m just trying to give people the tools to fix their mistakes.”