I have been at Serendipity for awhile.  My brother went here when I was little.  When I first came here I saw teachers helping kids.  It was great! I have been to a lot of schools in different districts and there are only 3 of them that I liked.  But by far, Serendipity is one of the best schools. They help you with your work and I hope that I can graduate from here.  I want to learn to read and write, do math, and all the stuff that I should be able to do at my age. Unfortunately, my mom, brother, uncle, and me were homeless for six years and I didn’t learn all these things.  My mom tried so hard to get us cleaned for school but sometimes we weren’t so we would miss a day of school.  When we moved back into a home I was so used to not going to school that I just continued to miss day after day after day.  I hope that I can change that. I really want to learn, but sometimes it is very hard to do that.  Serendipity has helped me so much in the short time that I have been here.  So far, I have gotten better at writing, reading, and math.  I am getting along with everyone and am making friends for the first time in my life.  The staff here really care about you and they help you to believe in yourself.  This is something that I have never done.  My goal is to keep working hard at this school and get my diploma.  After that, I want to go into the army or become a policeman. I know that Serendipity will help me to reach my goals. Joe, age 16

My experiences at Serendipity have been great.  I have been given a chance to start over and succeed.  I have gained experience working at different jobs on campus like tutoring and cafeteria worker.  I have also received a lot of respect from staff and students. What I have learned about myself is that I am a good worker and that I have great qualities.  I can be funny, I am strong, I am smart, and I am a student who is succeeding here at SerendipityCenter.  I have achieved respect for myself.  I have earned better grades and I am working on my high school diploma. My dreams for my future are: To get a diploma and graduate on time To go college or Job Corps and learn what I need to learn to work as a train engineer, or a computer engineer To get a good job that I like To find a girlfriend that I can eventually marry and maybe start a family In five to ten years I hope to have graduated from whatever program I am in and that I will have the knowledge and training I need to have a good job that I enjoy.   I hope I will be living a life that is free of drugs and violence. I know that the skills I am learning now at Serendipity, in both my schoolwork and with my personal skills, will help me to be successful in my future. Brandon, age 15 II don’t know where to begin to say thank you to your wonderful school and staff.  Without the hard work and dedication of the staff, students may not have a place to feel safe, secure, and have such a tremendous opportunity to grow and succeed.  The work you do on an individual basis with students and families to create a positive, workable environment is exceptional. When our son came out of a residential treatment center, placement at Serendipity was hope for a positive future for him in a school setting.  It was scary and has, at times, felt like a roller coaster.  A few steps forward and then some backwards, but I know that we never went back as far as we were before Serendipity School became a part of our lives. In all of the years that he has been in special education I have never felt such strength and support from a school.  I cannot begin to count the times that you have bent over backwards to make every effort to keep him in school as you continued to alter and adjust his school plan to accommodate for his needs.  When staff who he was attached to left Serendipity, there was always someone to pick up the pieces and support him through the change.  This is team effort at its finest. And now, here we are with our son graduating in three years.  It has been a struggle for him all of the way, but getting his high school diploma was always his goal.  We discussed getting a GED earlier this year but he decided that he really wants a diploma.  Goals strongly supported by Serendipity and by his dad and me are finally coming true for him.  I am so thankful that Serendipity School exists for kids like our son who need a special environment to succeed and that there are staff who care enough to make a difference in the lives of youth at risk.  You are to be commended for the excellent work you do each day.  We greatly appreciate your extraordinary efforts and cannot thank you enough for all you have done for our family. Serendipity Parent