Sanhedrin student overcomes hardships
In the warming story of hard work and perseverance, 16-year-old Alyssa Scarberry has paved the way for other students and become the first Sanhedrin High School graduate to be accepted straight into a four-year university. She will head to Chico State University (CSU) in the fall.
Sanhedrin has been transitioning from a continuation school to an alternative education school for some time now, and Scarberry used this to her advantage. She first moved over to the school last fall to accommodate her full time job at Northbrook Healthcare Center, where she is a certified nursing assistant.
Because Sanhedrin is an alternative school, it does not offer traditional A-G coursework. To work around this, Scarberry enrolled in courses at Mendocino College while completing her coursework at Sanhedrin, working full time and training to become a CNA.
Scarberry described moving to Chico in the fall as “exciting, but nerve-racking.” She will have just had her 17th birthday, four days prior to the move and will be younger than most first year college students. Once at CSU, Scarberry plans to enter the pre-nursing program, while also working as a CNA.
Scarberry’s plans don’t stop there. After graduating from CSU she plans to attend medical school to become a general surgeon. If things go as planned, Scarberry estimated she can become a general surgeon by the time she is somewhere between 29 and 32 years old.
Scarberry discovered her passion for taking care of people at a young age, through acting as a caregiver for her mother for five years, on and off, and also caregiving for her great-grandfather while he battled cancer three times.
When she started working at Northbrook in December, Scarberry said the job was perfect for her, “because taking care of the elderly is something I love doing. And, it’s honoring my grandfather.” She explained she gives the same care and respect to her patients at Northbrook as she did her grandfather.
Willits Unified School District board President Robert Chavez acknowledged that to do such work, “You have to be a special person.” Scarberry agreed that you have to know patients well and anticipate their needs. The job also requires a lot of patience. Scarberry said, “I have grown a lot in patience, because it takes a lot, a tremendous amount. I have a lot of love for everybody (at Northbrook).”
Not only does working as a CNA require a lot of patience, Scarberry explained it takes a lot of energy. She said, “I am always
tired. Because, it’s mentally draining, it’s physically draining.” However, despite these challenges, Scarberry said it is a very rewarding job.
Even for the ambitious teen, getting her schoolwork complete while juggling a full time job can be a struggle. Scarberry described it as a balance between work and school that she manages to get done and still finds time to be a teenager and hangout with friends.
Scarberrry was born and raised in Mendocino County by single mother Angela. Scarberry shared that her life has been a challenge since she was 4 years old. She said, “Twelve years of my life have not been easy…it’s been a huge
roller coaster.” To see the teen speak, you would never guess the struggles she has faced in her life.
Scarberry spent a year and a half in the foster system. She said, “Most foster kids, once they get out of
foster care, they give up. Or, once they are in foster care they give up. But, I just knew one day things would get better.”
These challenging experiences motivated Scarberry, inspiring her to care
for people as a career. In fact, she has known she wanted to pursue a career in medicine since she was 9 years old. She also came through the experiences incredibly mature for her 16 years, confident and kind. She uses her limited free time to volunteer with foster youth.
WUSD school board and Sanhedrin staff are proud of all Scarberry’s achievements as is her mother, Angela.