Back to the team…
Meet
Jeff Kalm
Program Staff
I am the oldest of five siblings, though my upbringing set me apart. I came from a previous relationship, while my siblings shared both parents. This difference left me with deep-rooted feelings of insecurity and a constant desire to feel accepted and included.
While I had a loving and stable home, I was a rambunctious child who struggled with focus and discipline. Diagnosed with ADHD at a young age, I often leaned on that label as an excuse for poor behavior. I started stealing early—first rare coins from my father, then items from classmates and teachers. I justified my actions through lies and denial, a pattern that would follow me for years.
My first encounter with law enforcement came when I was just six or seven years old, when my parents arranged a "scared straight" experience in hopes it would change my behavior. Unfortunately, it didn’t. At age 14, I was arrested for stealing cards from a family member, which resulted in 300 hours of community service and time in juvenile detention. Around the same time, I got into trouble for forging my parents’ signatures to avoid issues at school—further demonstrating my willingness to manipulate the truth to escape consequences.
I stayed relatively out of serious trouble until the end of high school, when I began experimenting with drugs, alcohol, and unhealthy relationships. At 19, I was arrested for my first DUI and drug possession charge. That marked the beginning of a long cycle of incarceration and addiction. Over the next 12 years, I accumulated more than 18 arrests and spent over a decade in county jails. Each time I got out, I returned to the same destructive lifestyle—only deeper and more dangerous.
In 2017, I hit a new low when I was caught selling drugs at an event in Las Vegas. I faced the possibility of 45 years in prison. Thankfully, my charges were reduced to gross misdemeanors, but I still served two years in jail across Salt Lake County and Las Vegas.
During this time, I heard about The Other Side Academy. At first, the idea of a two-year commitment was intimidating. But I had finally reached a point where I knew I needed something different. I called on June 12, 2019, and—by what I still consider a miracle—I was accepted, even though I had used substances earlier that day.
That moment marked the beginning of true change.
I spent nearly five years at The Other Side Academy, not just as a student but as someone deeply committed to personal transformation. I stayed longer than required because I believed in the mission and in who I was becoming. I worked hard to rebuild my character, confront my past, and develop the tools necessary to live with integrity and purpose.
Today, I am proud to help lead the Moving and Storage division at The Other Side Academy. I manage teams, guide others, and do meaningful work that helps people change their lives—just as I changed mine.
I am forever grateful to The Other Side Academy for giving me a second chance. I now dedicate myself to giving others the same opportunity to grow, heal, and succeed.