HADLEY — Irvin Compass came to Hopkins Academy to start over.

A new beginning in a different state, away from a dark cloud that hovered over him.

According to the Sun Herald, while attending St. Stanislaus College in May, school officials caught Compass returning to school with a unloaded .380 caliber pistol and 13 bags of marijuana.

According to the Herald, Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, police charged the 18 year old with possessing a deadly weapon on educational property, possession of a controlled substance and possession of paraphernalia.

The charges were eventually dropped.

“The judge threw it out,” Compass said. “The judge was one of my best friend’s dad. I was lucky.”

Compass was a boarding student at St. Stanislaus, which was an hour away from his home in New Orleans. Now he’s a plane ride away from his home.

“It was my decision to move,” Compass said. “I needed to get away from New Orleans.”

The quaint town of Hadley and the support offered from Hopkins Academy were exactly what Compass needed.

“It’s a small school,” Compass said. “So you see everyone daily. Everyone seems to care. It motivates me to continue to better myself.”

Compass said he toured the MacDuffie School in Granby and had tentative plans to move even before his arrest.

Compass said he is living with his uncle who owns Taxi Express in Amherst.

Since arriving at Hopkins, Compass has focused on two things: basketball and school.

“I’ve known him for three weeks,” Hopkins Academy Angelo Thomas said. “He is a yes sir, no sir guy. He’s got the manners down. He made a bad mistake but he is really smart and in a very positive place right now.

“He understands what is going on,” Thomas added. “He has the goal of playing college basketball.”

Compass is a senior and on the Golden Hawks boys basketball team, but is serving a five-game suspension.

According to Hopkins Academy Athletic Director Erik Sudnick, Compass was not in good standing with another school district when he left and that led to his suspension.

“I have to look out for what is best for the student and our program,” Sudnick said. “If a student transfers I have to do my homework. We called the MIAA and talked to them specifically about Irvin. We were up front about how to treat it.”

“The MIAA concluded that it was a five-game suspension. Since he has been here he has been a great student,” Sudnick added. “He’s been working hard on the basketball team.”

Compass said he has learned from the arrest.

“Taught me to be humble and not put myself in those predicaments,” Compass said. “I have to keep my head straight.”

Compass is on track to return Dec. 29 against Turners Falls in Hadley.

“The suspension is making me hungry,” Compass said. “I want to play.”

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