Jessica Dueñas was determined to keep her secret.
In 2019, Dueñas was a special education teacher at a middle school in Louisville, Ky., who had just been named the Kentucky Teacher of the Year. She was well-respected by her colleagues for her work ethic and for the connections she forged with her students.
But Dueñas believed that if the school knew she was struggling with alcohol addiction, her flourishing career would crumble.