In the second edition of our Serenbe Kids series, host Reese sits down with college-bound Kate, who has spent the majority of her childhood here in Serenbe. Kate explains how the community rallied around her throughout her adolescence - whether that meant fostering her love of nature and independence or droves of neighbors coming out to support her high school theatrical performances. Kate and Reese also discuss how their educations have prepared them for big transitions, what it’s like to grow up in Serenbe, and having the freedom to be creative.
Show Notes
In the second edition of our Serenbe Kids series, host Reese sits down with college-bound Kate, who has spent the majority of her childhood here in Serenbe. Kate explains how the community rallied around her throughout her adolescence - whether that meant fostering her love of nature and independence or droves of neighbors coming out to support her high school theatrical performances. Kate and Reese also discuss how their educations have prepared them for big transitions, what it’s like to grow up in Serenbe, and having the freedom to be creative.
Show Notes
1 (13s):
Heading off to college is a huge transition every young person's life. And that's to say nothing of the transition for US parents of soon to be college freshmen. In the second episode of our Seren B Kid series, our lovely host Reese sits down with Kate. This episode was recorded last summer when Kate was a high school senior and just starting to hear back from her college applications. Of course by now she's off to college, but in this episode she chats with Reese about her childhood and Seren B had the community has fostered her appreciation for nature and finding the freedom to be creative in her hometown.
2 (47s):
Having lived here for so long, it's really easy to stay in the bubble and forget that you know, this isn't normal. Most communities aren't like this and so it's good to kind of take a step back and be really grateful and appreciative of this really special environment.
3 (1m 4s):
Thank you for coming on Kate. I really appreciate it.
2 (1m 7s):
Thanks for having me.
3 (1m 8s):
Before we start with questions, I just really wanted to have you on today cuz I know you're about to graduate high school, which is very exciting.
2 (1m 17s):
So exciting.
3 (1m 18s):
I just wanted to ask a couple questions about what that was like, maybe how this community of SAN has just maybe benefited that and how you go to Heritage. Right.
2 (1m 27s):
I go to Woodward.
3 (1m 29s):
Woodward, All right. Sorry. Woodward has maybe helped you with that process as someone who goes to act in it. Always interesting to me to see how other schools benefit their students cuz schools are always so supportive, their students and it's just something I'm always curious about.
2 (1m 43s):
Absolutely.
3 (1m 45s):
So how has Woodward helped you prepare for the college application process or just college in general?
2 (1m 51s):
Well, Woodward is known as a college preparatory school, so I think that pretty much as long as I've been there, which is since fourth grade, they've been keeping that goal of college in mind. Woodward is a pretty academically rigorous school, so I think there's a pretty tough workload, pretty heavy workload every day. And by now having been there for so long, I'm completely used to it. I feel like I could write however many essays I need to and no problem. And yeah, I have no issue with getting any kind of work done and it's also helped with organization. I think also Woodward just being as big as it is, there are so many different types of opportunities that are available to me.
2 (2m 33s):
Everything from I can do theater to chorus and we can go to Allstate to, there are so many different sports and just a lot of unique opportunities that I think are really special to Woodward and kind of help to prepare you for college. And I think also Woodward is a super diverse school and that's one of the things that Woodward like prides itself on is being diverse. And I think just being in a space with so many different types of people I think is really preparing me for college, which will also be the same type of thing.
3 (3m 11s):
That's great. Do you think that you would be in the same place academically if you were to have gone to another school? Or has Woodward really been that big push to push your academic limits and really make you stretch what you want and how to achieve it?
2 (3m 25s):
That's a good question. I mean, I think no one can say for sure, but I do feel like Woodward was a really good fit for me personally. I've always loved to learn and I'm very passionate about that and I think Woodward has been the perfect environment to kind of help me get to the place I am now, which is I just love learning and I feel very strong in my capabilities academic-wise. And I think that Woodward's definitely been a really integral part in helping me get there.
3 (3m 54s):
That's amazing. Personally for me, Acton, it's been, we're really still in the matrix of figuring it all out. Yeah. But that's very great how Woodward's just so supported of you, but they're still making you put in that effort that is also in a way supporting you. That makes any
2 (4m 10s):
Sense. Definitely.
3 (4m 12s):
So as we just talked about, Woodward's helped with your prep for college. Has the community of ceremony helped with any of that prep and any meaningful way in somehow? Has Cy helped with that?
2 (4m 22s):
Yeah, absolutely. I've been here in C for I would say almost 11 years now, which is a really long time. And I feel like I know almost everybody in the community well now, you know, c b's getting so much bigger and so I don't know everyone, but just having such an incredible close knit tight community such as this one, it really makes me appreciate it, especially having such a small community. I feel like Saray has taught me how to kind of leave my mark on a of community and I'm really excited to bring that with me to college.
3 (4m 55s):
Yes, that's a beautiful answer. So do you know we're going to college yet? Is it close like Woodward? How do you believe that your Woodward skills that they've taught you there, how do you think those are gonna transfer over to the college life?
2 (5m 8s):
Absolutely. So this month is when all of my college decisions are coming out, which is super exciting. I heard back from one of my first colleges last Friday, which is really exciting. So yeah, those acceptances and denials or whatever will be rolling in this month, which I'm really excited about. And yeah, I definitely think that a lot of those skills from Woodward will transfer. I have had a lot of friends who went to Woodward who have graduated and gone on to college who have said, Wow, my college is a breeze compared to Woodward. You can handle it for sure. So that's very comforting to know.
3 (5m 43s):
Yeah, especially all the schools around the C area, they are always so focused on creating independent students. It's kind of crazy to look at how I am in sixth grade and how the skills that I'm learning compared to what I'll be needing in the college lifestyle, how much they are alike. And honestly it's just great achievements to be able to say, Oh yeah, well in my school we're learning how to independently be able to work on our grades and make sure that we're straying on track. And I don't know about you, but honestly for me that feels very accomplishing.
2 (6m 16s):
Definitely. Absolutely. And I'm not sure if you know this, but I went to the Montessori school here that was here for a year before Woodward and I think that just gave me a really, really special unique perspective and also a really interesting relationship with nature. So that's also kind of helped me grow.
3 (6m 34s):
Yes, I can see how, especially for acting the younger learners who are in the Montessori, that is just such a boost on their skills. I've babysat kids and they that been in the Montessori and this what they can do and what they're learning such a young age is honestly in a way inspirational. Cause there are these four, five year olds who are getting taught how to simple things that you know, sound really simple, but for someone their age it's just been really amazing. Like learning how to clean up messes or put away a dish and get all set for the day. And I can see how that'd be a good push on your academic platform before you head off to an elementary school or as some were like Woodward as you said, that was much more academically pushing.
2 (7m 15s):
Absolutely. And I remember my days at Montessori during recess we would play with Acorns, we would collect Acorns and that was our version of tag or whatever, you know, games that most kids play. So I think that you don't really find that experience in many places and that's something I definitely look back on very fondly.
3 (7m 33s):
So after we've talked about all this college prep, has there anyone that's been your big inspiration or mentor to be able to say, you can do this, let's push harder. Is there anyone that's been there for you that's been telling you all those, you got this like let's do this, let's get to where we wanna be. Is there anyone who's done that for you?
2 (7m 52s):
Definitely. I think my family has always been so, so supportive of me and I'm a pretty self-motivated person and I think Woodward has helped foster that quality in me, but my parents have been there every step of the way. Specifically my mom has definitely been my biggest inspiration. She's just constantly reminding me also, you know, push hard and work hard, but also, you know, maybe you need to take a break or is this math test worth another hour of studying? So sometimes it's nice to hear that.
3 (8m 21s):
Yes. So transferring back over to school, I heard you were in the production of Mama M. Can you tell us a little bit about that?
2 (8m 28s):
Sure. We just finished our production of Mama M at Woodward and I was lucky enough to be able to play the lead Donna and I've been a part of theater at Woodward for all of high school and I can't believe it's over now.
3 (8m 43s):
Are you gonna take your theater skills and push 'em into college? Are you thinking about Star? Not exactly starting over but transferring over to a different subject of matter.
2 (8m 52s):
I definitely want to keep theater and music in general a part of my life in the future, but I'm not planning on majoring it at the moment. I'm not sure what I wanna major in yet. I'm definitely excited to explore my options. The colleges I applied to are liberal arts colleges, which basically kind of encourage like an interdisciplinary approach to learning and you can study a bunch of different areas of subjects and figure out what you wanna do in life. So I'm excited to do that there.
3 (9m 23s):
That sounds great. As I said, I'm in experience, I don't really have to worry about that stuff yet, which I'm kind of happy about. That sounds very stressful and rigorous, but at college that can be able to give you all those independent choices. Were not exactly independent but creative choices where you can say one week you're really into, you wanna say I wanna pursue that musical theater, but the next week you're looking at what it requires. You said, I might not be able to complete this and you wanna change it. That's something I feel is really important for people so that they don't feel like, oh this choice that I made that isn't right. That can cause people to feel bad about it. And I feel like a lots of colleges would start to incorporate that into they're
2 (9m 59s):
Absolutely, and I think a lot of colleges too have, especially the ones that I'm looking at, have really good extracurricular opportunities. So love to be a part of an acapella group on campus and maybe participate in some theater productions even if I'm not majoring in the subjects.
3 (10m 16s):
Yeah. So as I asked you earlier how therapy has helped maybe with the prep in any meaningful way, is there anybody in the community that has inspired you to start all these interests?
2 (10m 28s):
I think honestly just the community as a whole. It's just incredible how many people have been so supportive of me and who I've known since I was so little who've always consistently showed up and leave bread on the doorstep. And so many ceremony neighbors came to support me at Mama Mia and it was just so incredible. Just like rows of people, everyone from Phyllis who has always been there for me and there are just so many people who have been there for me.
3 (10m 57s):
That's great. I'm a little bit newer to the community. I moved here August of 2020, but I honestly, I can't wait to see what my future's like and all this opportunities that people have opened up for me. I've had the real estate team that has been so grateful and let me under their wing and I've learned so much from that. And just hearing your stories of how the communities helped you, that makes a lot less stressful about what my future will like and how I'll have to prep for everything.
2 (11m 26s):
Definitely.
3 (11m 27s):
What's something that the this community has done for you that has really stuck out? I know as you said, like they've put broader your doorstep. What's maybe an action of kindness that they have done for you?
2 (11m 37s):
Well, one thing, this was not actually for me but for my brother, but I always think of this as a really good kind of visual representation of seren be. It was my brother's birthday, this was I think maybe four years ago, I'm not exactly sure. And we had a little golf cart sort of parade type thing for him. And all of the neighbors came out and made these like homemade signs and came out on their doorsteps and people had bells and pots and pans and like were hitting them and making noise and we just drove down and it was just, you know, happy birthday Tucker and everyone was just so excited and cheering him on and it was incredible to have just, and it felt like the entire community was just really supporting our family and that was really wonderful.
3 (12m 23s):
That does sound extremely wonderful, especially during these times of Covid. I've just seen how this community is really rising to the occasion and has, I've gone to friend's houses and I have written on their doorstep with chalk Happy birthday and dropped them off a gift. And how we've all just sort of engaged and said, all right, this is happening, how should we fix it? And I've seen people who are telling stuff to help others, especially with what's happening in the world right now and how this community can rise to the occasion so quickly that it's honestly extremely inspirational. And once you look at it from a long run and yeah, that's something that I feel like people will visit ceremony and they'll really look at it for how beautiful it is and you know what it has, but until you live here for a while, you don't really realize how great this community is and how much they're always there for you whenever you need it.
2 (13m 16s):
Definitely. I think too, having lived here for so long, it's really easy to stay in the bubble and forget that you know, this isn't normal. Most communities aren't like this. And so it's good to kind of take a step back and be really grateful and appreciative of this really special environment.
3 (13m 34s):
Yeah. So as you said, you've lived here almost 11 years. What are some of the best lessons that you've learned in these 11 years?
2 (13m 42s):
One big thing that I sort of spoke about earlier is just kind of that appreciation for nature. Having the trails right behind your doorstep and my little brother would come home and his shoes would be completely filled with mud and that's just like a really interesting and cool thing to have developed as a kid to grow up with that. And I feel really lucky to have been able to grow up around so much nature. And I think the other biggest lesson, which I've kind of said already, is just this idea of community. It's become such a part of my identity and I think I'll definitely bring that wherever I go.
3 (14m 16s):
Is there anything else you just like to share about your life in Serenity or anything?
2 (14m 21s):
Ultimately, I'm just really grateful for this community. I can't believe I'm gonna leave it soon. It's crazy.
3 (14m 27s):
Yeah. Do you know how far you're gonna go for college? Are you trying to see local or are you thinking of going like across?
2 (14m 34s):
I'm pretty sure that I'm gonna end up in the northeast at like a northeast during liberal arts college. So not gonna be super close.
3 (14m 42s):
Are your parents happy about that?
2 (14m 44s):
They're very supportive.
3 (14m 46s):
Yeah. I can tell that a lot about this. Parents around here, they just all of a sudden they see, Oh okay, my child can leave and then come back before dark and they've been in the forest all day and they just start to loosen the barrier and before you know it you're like, Hey mom, I'm gonna leave. I don't know what time I'll be back. And they just become so much more supportive. I mean parents are obviously always supportive, but they just grow this extra level of, Hey, there's this camp I want you to try out, would you want to? Or one day I was sitting on a sidewalk where my mom was like, Someone posted on Facebook, there's auditions for a Midsummers night stream. Would you like to try? And they start to realize this is what my child loves.
3 (15m 26s):
And then that's honestly how I've discovered my hobbies and that's how I discovered what I love to do in honestly in a way who I am as a person through my parents. Cuz they've just been so supportive.
2 (15m 37s):
Absolutely. I totally agree. And I feel like for me personally, my love of musical theater I don't think would have fostered the way that it has without them.
3 (15m 47s):
Yeah. Well I think that's really it for today. Thank you so much.
2 (15m 52s):
Thank you.