Serenity: Reflecting on Life After Graduation

Last May, we featured a story about Serenity as she prepared to graduate from Conroe High School. She wrote a wonderful article in which she reflected on lessons learned and the important role that Site Coordinator Marcus Primer from Communities In Schools® (CIS®) of East Texas played as a mentor and role model that helped guide her through life’s challenges during high school. 

We recently caught up with Serenity to see what she’s up to, how CIS prepared her for life after high school, and if she has any advice for the Class of 2024. Here’s what she had to say:

What have you been up to since graduation last year?

As of right now, I am in technical school for my Air Force job. And I'm currently learning basically all the ropes of my job. Prior to school, I spent 7 weeks at basic military training. 

And how are you enjoying that?

It's nice. I feel like every base is kind of like its own city within a city. There's a lot of people here on base. The class itself is challenging. It's a lot to learn. I'm working on planes… I'll be working on C-17 planes, which are cargo planes. It's definitely a lot to learn, but I love learning. So it's a new opportunity to step into something new. I'm super excited about that.

How did CIS help prepare you for life after graduation?

In more ways than one, for sure. Mr. Primer, he was my mentor there. Whenever I brought him the idea of going into the Air Force, I told him I wasn't sure I wanted to go to college. I told him I think I'm gonna join the Air Force. And he sat me down and he let me go through all the pros and cons of what I felt like joining the Air Force would be like. And he said, I think you already kind of came to a decision.

He definitely helped me make the decision of going into the Air Force because I wasn't exactly sure that was what I wanted to do. He was definitely the role model that I needed at the time to help me and guide me into a positive path for myself.

Is there anything that you would like to say to Mr. Primer?

I would say I really appreciate all that he has done for me. And I think I'm making him proud right now. I'm growing as a person, and I know that what he wanted the most was to see me grow. And I'm definitely doing that.

What advice would you give to the class of 2024?

Some advice I would give is to have an open mind. I always kind of felt like I was expected to go to college because everyone else was going to college, but I would say have an open mind for your future. There's so many different outcomes that you can have. Don't just be set on one thing. You can set a goal for yourself. And then there's multiple ways you can get to that goal.

I never thought I would be in the Air Force right now working on planes, doing electrical work for planes. I didn't think that that was where my path was gonna take me, but here I am. And had I not had an open mind and was able to be open to taking different routes, I feel as if I definitely would have gone to college and I wouldn't even know what I'd be majoring in. Right now, I'm living for myself, and I'm working on my goals for my future.

So whenever you realize that the world is so much bigger than high school, it's so much bigger than your city, there's so much outside that you can do for yourself and look forward to. You can go a lot further and I think you have to have an open mind for that.

Is there anything else that you might want people to know about you or your experience with CIS?

CIS definitely allowed me to become more comfortable within myself. Whenever I would talk to Mr. Primer, or any of the CIS leaders, and they would come and have lunch with us, it allowed me to know that there was a listening ear. And it was a constant reminder to not be afraid to talk with someone if I need help. 

I'm not afraid to ask questions now if I need help with something. I just reach out and sometimes it does take the courage to do it, but I have definitely been able to. CIS has definitely been able to prepare me in ways I don't think I would have been prepared had I not been in CIS. I'm a lot more comfortable talking and getting the help that I need whenever I need it. And I wasn't always able to do that.
 

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