Chancellor Young and his mom, Constance, were having a rough day. They’d just moved from New York to Pennsylvania and loved their new community, but struggled to find a school that was the right fit for Chance. “We tried to enroll in brick-and-mortar schools, but they were all taking weeks and weeks to go through testing, interviews, and to begin the enrollment process,” said Chance. “Nothing we provided was good enough for them. Time was passing and I was at risk for truancy. Nothing was working out for us.”
They had missed the start of the public school year due to Chance getting the incredible opportunity to go on a safari trip to Tanzania and Kenya with his grandmother. Between the move, establishing residency, and trying to find the right fit for their family, school was quickly becoming a problem even though Chance was an amazing student. He’d previously attended brick-and-mortar schools, private school, cyber school, and received admission to a military boarding school. He was a good kid, but his mom didn’t feel comfortable leaving him in New York once they made the decision to move to Pennsylvania.
“We were going to Best Buy to get some things for our new house,” said Chance. “Mom was driving and I was navigating. We were in a hurry and not having a good time. I missed a turn and my mom got mad, but I saw something that caught my eye.”
It was the CPDLF Stroudsburg Learning Center’s location at Fusia Center for the Arts.
“I saw a sign about acting and theatre. I love acting and want to be an actor, so Mom sent me inside to get information,” he continued. The dance school was closed that day, but someone from CPDLF was there to greet him. They explained what CPDLF was and the relationship with Fusia. “It was a school! It ended up being exactly what I needed!” said Chance. “They heard our story and explained everything to us. We were invited back the next day to meet the Principal.”
“I liked the idea of cyber and trying it again. It would allow me to focus without the distractions of a classroom and that kind of drama. The fact that this was all free blew my mind, too. They provide you with the Chromebook and everything - just like any brick-and-mortar public school. Coming from a lifetime of private school with expensive tuition fees that were always a worry for us, this was a huge difference,” he said.
Dr. Mayers, the CPDLF Principal, sat down with him and listened to his struggles over enrolling with the local school district, how he wanted to play sports and do performing arts, and what his goals were for his education.
“She made a phone call and five minutes later said she could get me enrolled today. I’d be able to start classes in just a few days,” Chance said. “Knowing that they were able to accept us with open arms, no judgment, and help me get my education meant so much. I never expected them to care this much. They were so accepting and patient. I was able to do school in such a positive environment. It made the experience so different.”
“One wrong turn found me the right place to finish high school and get into the university of my dreams!”
Chance got to study performing arts along with his core courses. He even got a medal for his monologue and was invited to auditions elsewhere. He also got to play basketball with his brick-and-mortar home district. “Dr. Mayers made it happen. I didn’t know I could do sports and theatre in cyber school but CPDLF was able to provide it all!”
Mom’s Opinion
Chance’s mom, Constance Young, tells us that CPDLF was not their first experience with cyber school. His first cyber school was not as hands-on: “They didn’t have check-in meetings. That school didn’t have Learning Guides that check on the students. The teachers didn’t respond to emails,” said Constance. “At CPDLF, they do all of that. They are phenomenal at answering him within a day. You want a staff that wants to be there and is compassionate towards students.”
She was looking to find a school that would support Chance where he needed it, provide new opportunities to allow him to get ahead, and nurture his talents. “Parents, don’t change who your kid is. Allow them to be who they are. Chance became a confident young man because we focused on love and compassion.”
Thanks to his parents’ support and encouragement, Chance grew up to be a natural leader. In pre-school, he befriended a little girl who didn’t speak any English and helped teach her how to communicate. Her parents actually came to the school to ask who this boy was who had been so kind to her and made her feel welcome in a new country. Fast forward a few years and Chance was nominated for a Hugh O’Brien Youth Leadership Foundation seminar. Out of 200 attendees, he was one of two appointed to the World Leadership Congress. After the State seminar announced this honor, the director came over and said to Mrs. Young, “Your son is amazing. We had students come to this three-day seminar from all different backgrounds and situations. Some were even grieving loss. He treated everyone with compassion and love. That’s why he received this prestigious nomination and scholarship.”
“It starts with pre-school,” Constance said. “Put your child in an environment where there is love.”
A Day in the Life
“We had morning meetings every day and I really liked that about CPDLF,” said Chance. “When I didn’t have a morning meeting at my old cyber school, I’d find myself sleeping too late. Having the morning meetings forced me to start my day and be more productive. I could cook my own breakfast, not feel rushed, check all my assignments, and select what I was going to work on that day. The key is to not pressure yourself and just work efficiently. You can plan your breaks and take a walk or run errands.”
Chance was also able to work while he was attending school. He worked at Wendy’s as a cashier and in the drive-through window. “I thrive on positive vibes,” Chance said. “Fast food wasn’t always a place filled with positive people, but they all worked hard. I was raised to smile and brighten people’s day, so I’d try to do that for the customers.” He would actually receive tips from customers who had been having a rough day and wanted to make sure he knew that he had been a bit of light during a dark time for them.
He juggled a lot during his high school career, but credits his ability to handle everything to those morning meetings and flexibility: “CPDLF starts the day off right and makes you feel inspired and motivated. If you stay on pace, you’re able to actually do more things that you would at brick-and-mortar school. You can get ahead, finish the class early, and take on more. Classes were never closed down, so you could work over breaks to catch up or get ahead.”
He was able to take care of his personal health, play basketball, do theatre, keep up with personal training, work, visit friends in New York, and stay on target in school because of cyber school.
“I love traveling and learning on my own. CPDLF gives you the freedom to travel and explore the world. CPDLF strives for excellence: they don’t make you feel like you aren’t doing enough, but they do reach out and push you to be your best. They don’t let you fail and then act surprised or disappointed that it happened. They stay with you and do the little things to help you succeed,” he said.
Next Steps for Chance
What’s next for Chance? The first thing on his agenda is graduation at the end of May. After that, he’ll spend the summer working and preparing to head to Temple University this Fall to study psychology. He wants to be a helper. “I know a lot of people need help and I’m good at talking to people, finding out what’s hurting them, and helping them feel better. It comes naturally to me,” Chance said. We know that “what comes naturally” to Chance is actually the hard work of his parents, processing his own grief from the death of his father about eight years ago, and jumping at every educational opportunity that has come his way - but we’ll let him continue to think it’s “natural.”
CPDLF is incredibly proud of his accomplishments and we are looking forward to following him on his college journey and beyond as he sets out to make our world a better place. Looking back on how Chance and his mom discovered CPDLF by taking a “wrong turn” that turned out to be such a right fit for them makes us reflect on how life can take us in so many different directions, but if we stay true to ourselves, work with compassion and understanding, we’ll end up exactly where we need to be.
