Finding Home and Hope at Kendall Greens
How finding stability and support helped turn hardship into early graduation and a bright future.
Growing up, Liznellie never put herself first. At age fifteen, caring for her six younger stepsiblings, she assumed a parental role as her stepmother shuffled the children from city to city. Freshman year of high school alone she moved from Puerto Rico to Tampa to Orlando. Each move meant a new school but the same familial responsibilities. Without a permanent home, the family of eight spent most nights sharing two double beds in a single hotel room or packed into their van. “It was a lot trying to keep up with school at the same time.”
Liznellie eventually reached out to her aunt in Miami who agreed to take her in. It was an emotional transition leaving her stepsiblings behind, but she continued to check in with them daily. Settling into her new home, she felt a monumental shift, having her own bedroom, enjoying meals out at restaurants, and playing in the park with her cousins. “It was weird…nobody was sleeping next to me, so I was trying to get used to that.” Then a new challenge presented itself as she tried to enroll in high school. Due to her sporadic attendance freshman year, she was told by two schools that she would need to repeat the grade. In search of a solution, “Kendall Greens fit what we needed most.”
At Kendall Greens High School, Liznellie immediately felt at home. “Everybody was very open and friendly.” Diving into her schoolwork, Liznellie attended both morning and afternoon class sessions as well as some Saturdays. She never shared with anyone that learning was difficult, so she greatly appreciated the close attention she received from the teachers as well the access additional resources like tutoring. “I like to figure stuff out on my own…I would write stuff down and review it over and over.” On Saturdays, with less students in attendance, she found that she was able to receive even more individualized instruction. She remembers Mr. Ortiz offering extra help before each biology exam as well as for the CLT. “If you needed him to explain something he was always open and available.” She also formed a close bond with her homeroom teacher Ms. Concepcion. “She was like a mother figure to me. The way she would help me out…every time I had trouble with something I would just go to her.”
In addition to required coursework, in her spare time Liznellie enrolled in the free Coursera courses offered through Kendall Greens. In total she was able to complete 48 courses focusing on AI and digital marketing. She also took part in an afterschool art class and joined the school’s sewing club. “There were many activities they had apart from doing your classes…that brought people together.” It was through these activities that she made close friends. In the end, Liznellie fulfilled her graduation requirements in thirteen months and graduated early in the spring of 2025. The first in her family to graduate high school, she felt a strong sense of accomplishment and excitement walking across the stage. “Given my circumstances I was going to finish high school one way or another…I didn’t have any doubts. Even if I was to graduate late, I was going to make it happen.” A testament to her academic success, Kendall Greens awarded Liznellie a scholarship that provides money each semester toward her college courses.
Today, living with her aunt, uncle, and cousins in South Carolina, Liznellie is earning her Associates Degree at Gaston College, taking a mix of online and in-person classes while working part-time at a grocery store and exploring local veterinary programs. Growing up with a variety of animals, from cats and dogs to ducks and chickens, she always felt drawn to the field, and is set to begin volunteering at a local pet clinic. Under the advisement of her aunt, she’s learning to focus on self-care and ignore those who might detract from her success. “All I have to do is move forward…sometimes it’s best to let people go.” Reflecting on her time in high school, “I honestly wish I was still in Kendall Greens. If I tell people that I wish I was still in my high school they think I’m crazy, because it’s like no one wants to go back to high school, but I do…It was like my second home.”
