Motherhood often extends beyond a single household, playing out in school hallways and through a network of families who rely on one another.
For Jen Serra, a mother of three and president of the Anna Maria Elementary PTO, that shared support defines raising a family in the island community — a village for her family.
“Nobody’s doing it alone,” Serra said. “We all just work as a big team to make sure everybody’s having the experience they want here for their families.”
Serra moved to the island from Columbus, Ohio, about five years ago with her husband, Ryan, and their sons, Charlie, Alex and Owen.
She said the transition was an easy one.
“I wear flip-flops every day,” she said.
Within weeks of arriving, Serra was invited to join the PTO. Her decision to do so quickly rooted her in the community.
“I was new and needed friends,” she said. “They said they needed help, and I said OK.”
Serra has served on the PTO board for five years and is in her second year as president, helping organize volunteers, coordinate fundraising and support programs that enhance student experiences.
AME is home to the Guy Harvey Academy of Arts & Sciences, a program developed in partnership with the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation to integrate marine science and conservation into the curriculum, giving students hands-on learning opportunities tied directly to Florida’s coastal environment.
Serra said the PTO provides resources and experiences beyond what the school can fund on its own.
“We make sure that we are coordinating hours and finances to make sure that all the things the school wants that they can’t have, they can get, and experiences that we want the kids to have, we make happen through the PTO,” Serra said. “The kids on this island are very lucky.”
In addition to her volunteer work and family responsibilities, Serra runs a custom-craft business, creating apparel and accessories for local schools, organizations and residents. She said the business, which was larger before her move to Florida, is intentionally part-time, allowing her to focus on family and community commitments.
And Serra’s role as a community connector extends well beyond the school campus.
She helps organize family beach nights, hosts craft gatherings for mothers and works to welcome new families to AME and AMI.
“The family scene on the island sometimes gets hidden behind all the tourists, but it’s here, alive and well,” she said.
That sense of connection carries into other parts of Serra’s life, including her involvement at Roser Memorial Community Church, where she serves as a council member and co-chairs the board of religious education. There, she helps plan programs, including vacation Bible school, and participates in mentoring efforts that connect experienced mothers with those raising young children.
Serra said one of the biggest differences in raising children on the island is the sense of familiarity and shared supervision. Her sons can bike to friends’ homes or activities, often within sight of neighbors who know them by name.
“Anywhere my kids go, somebody will see them,” she said. “There’s a whole community looking out for them.”
That support system also shows up in everyday moments, shared rides to practice, impromptu dinners and group activities like the “Strong as a Mother” fitness class, where local moms gather to exercise, talk and support one another.
As Mother’s Day approaches, Serra said the holiday is a chance to recognize not only mothers, but the broader network that helps families thrive.
“Yes, moms drive the engine in a lot of ways,” she said. “But there are so many people helping, dads, mentor moms, friends.”
“It takes a village,” Serra said. “And I’m so lucky that the island village is my village.”