Whispers of Hope Audiobook By Jordan Smith Jr. Ed.D. cover art

Whispers of Hope

Finding Strength in Crisis (Against the Odds: Chronicles of Resilience, Book 2)

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Whispers of Hope

By: Jordan Smith Jr. Ed.D.
Narrated by: Melli Achna
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About this listen

Diversity Dawn Academy is back for another year, and Benjamin and Sarah are in a pickle! Between the overwhelming number of new applications, the ever-snappy, always obstinate school board of the Ridgefield school district, and a full-blown pandemic...

...Yeah, it's safe to say the pair's got their work cut out for them!

Despite the chaos, everything had been going swimmingly at Diversity Dawn Academy. With all-time high enrollment rates, all the communal support they could ever ask for, and an absolutely immaculate graduation rate, everything was as perfect as could be.

That is, once they were blindsided by the number of new students applying for the program. Of course, that would have been a wonderful thing—had the number of applicants not been ten times what they could hope to house.

Evan Peters, president of the Ridgefield City School Board, gave them two options: either they cut the program in its entirety, for it was becoming a threat to the traditional comprehensive high school, or Benjamin and Sarah could find a place to accommodate all those students themselves...

And thus, Diversity Dawn High School was born!

From dyslexic students and those coming from neglectful parenting, all the way down to victims of gang violence and those harboring suicidal thoughts, the school became a safe haven for students of all sorts. Under the gentle care of their teachers and friends, bit by bit, the children's ailments and troubles began to ebb away.

Just when everything seemed to be going splendidly once again, disaster struck when a deadly virus suddenly appeared, forcing the school to shut down in-person instruction and sending the whole world into a frenzy.

Will Benjamin, Sarah, and all their students make it over this hurdle, or will this mark the end of Diversity Dawn High School?

©2024 Jordan B Smith Jr. Ed.D. (P)2024 Jordan B Smith Jr. Ed.D.
Coming of Age Literature & Fiction
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This topic is thoughtful and genuine and the authors wroting felt smooth and personal. The narration was nice to listen and added depth to really bring the stories to life.

An inspirational listen

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Listener received this title free

This engrossing book has characters dealing with mental and emotional challenges that visit upon all of us at one point or another in life. The author crafted a beautifully paced story with characters I cared about and wanted to see succeed.

Every character and personality provided a unique perspective in how to meet societal and internal challenges that come with living in our digital age. I appreciated that each story line offered insights for any reader to run with and make their own as one chooses to develop and enriching life.

I really enjoyed this book!

We all of variations of these struggles...

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Listener received this title free

This audiobook caught me off guard. I’ve been dealing with some heavy stuff lately, and hearing someone reflect on navigating their own chaos without acting like they had it all together? That meant something. No fluff, no perfect answers, just raw, real reminders that moving forward is still possible, even when everything feels upside down.

real talk that stayed with me

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Listener received this title free

When everything in my life felt like it was falling apart, this book showed up like a quiet companion. The stories weren’t sugarcoated, but they weren’t hopeless either. There’s something powerful about hearing people find strength in what looks like ruin. I found myself pausing often to breathe or reflect. It helped me reframe what I’m going through—not by pretending it’s okay, but by reminding me I still have something inside me worth fighting for.

Held My Hand Through a Dark Season

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Listener received this title free

This felt less like a novel and more like a heart check. the challenges Benjamin and Sarah face—especially launching a new school in the middle of a crisis—felt real without being preachy. The book doesn't pretend things are easy, but it does show how people can still show up for each other when everything's falling apart. I liked that the kids had actual struggles and weren't just plot points. some parts got a little tidy, but I didn’t mind. it made me feel like resilience is possible, even when the odds suck.

Hope is messy, but it matters

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Listener received this title free

"Against The Odds - Chronicles of Resilience" tells the story of four families facing difficult times when the pandemic hits. Ben and Sarah are two co-founders of a new Academy and find themselves growing closer. Then there's Liam, a high school student, who is forced to move in with his grandparents while taking care of his younger siblings. James is another high school student struggling to fit in as he attends high school for the first time and is anxious about meeting kids. Cameron dreams about becoming a basketball star, until an incident at his school causes him and his sister to move to Diversity Dawn Academy, run by Ben and Sarah. Finally, Amelia is a high school student pregnant with her second child and dreaming of getting out of the city. Then COVID strikes, and everyone's lives are turned upside down. Each family struggles in their own way but shows resiliency during a difficult time. These young characters are very relatable and can teach young people about staying resilient during difficult times, as eventually everything works out.

A story of resilience during a difficult time

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