Failure is Never an Option

BY Dejanelle Staniszewski

        As the average child is expected to complete 12 years of education through rigorous public schooling, it takes the effort of every single staff member and parent ever involved in the child's lifetime to make the inevitable seem possible. If the child is expected to survive out there in the "REAL WORLD," one must be able to pass down all the skills necessary to meet with life's demands. Though sometimes the student is going to face obstacles that try to prevent them from ever meeting such demands, it takes all the motivation and will power of the parents and staff alike, to make success within their child's reach. I decided that I could not let myself sink any deeper within failure's clutches. I just couldn't, because I came from a place where FAILURE just WASN'T an option.
        I started my journey at EHS in 2008. You could only imagine how excited I was about being back on the right track to my success, but how nervous I became once I realized I wasn't in a familiar setting. I had to become familiar with everything new around me. At my previous school, I had class sizes ranging from 25 to 30 kids. At EHS, I was usually in a class of 10 to 15 students. The small, caring staff at Enterprise made the transition very comfortable.
        I've always done well in school. But, I was overwhelmed at the start of my freshman year. I decided to let personal matters and other people try to get the best of me. This prevented me from coming to school and earning the credits I needed to graduate. I knew I needed to find a new environment that would help me earn my high school diploma. The staff at EHS did everything possible to make me feel comfortable and to realize that is was NEVER too late to be successful. They also didn't treat me like an idiot if I didn't understand a concept, however simple it may be. I asked a multitude of questions, and more often than not received the answers I needed. EHS is not what most people perceive it to be. If anything, I've learned more here and had more opportunities available than at my previous public high school.
        I had the chance to participate in many wonderful activities during my stay at EHS. I was elected to represent EHS in the Focus Hope ‘Photography & Diversity' program. I also enjoyed field trips to the Detroit Institute of Arts, Total Sports, Earth Day activities, the talent show and many more fun activities. I felt a sense of freedom at EHS. I could be myself instead of some kind of robot that was programmed to do the same thing as everyone else. I take great pride in saying that I am 2010 graduate of Warren Woods Enterprise High School. EHS gave me the skills I desperately needed if I am going to survive in the "REAL WORLD." I'm glad they were nice enough to give me a second chance at everything. EHS made me stronger and more prepared to face reality. I could have never made it without the EHS staff. I wish EHS all the best now and in years to come.