Cali is not your typical high schooler. She’s an amazing artist (check out her work below), but what makes her stand out is her positivity, her drive, and a family that brings out the best in her.
But last year, Cali got some bad news. Life-changing news.
“You have cancer.”
That’s the news Cali got her sophomore year of high school.
“It just felt unreal,” she told me. “I had all the usual scary thoughts that come with the phrase ‘You have cancer’ but I didn't truly panic. It didn't really hit me until I was well into chemo. I couldn't talk about it for a while...I couldn't even say the word ‘cancer.’ But it eventually got easier and easier.”
But how does something like that get easier?
“My mom's always taught me to stay positive,” Cali said. “And like most things, my family dealt with it with humor, which helps make things less scary and sad.”
And Cali added with a laugh, “But you know, in a respectful way!”
Her family went full force into taking care of her and making sure she would beat it. That’s how she ended up at PA Distance Learning.
“When I was first diagnosed, I wanted to go back to my local school. As we got closer to the end of the summer, it became clear that between the germs and how little energy I had, the local school environment was not in my best interest,” she told me.
Her school counselor worked with PA Distance's counselor to develop a plan. Cali’s goal was to make sure she beat cancer, while trying to keep on track in school. She hoped to return to her local school district for her senior year.
Like every student, Cali’s success has been dependent on hard work and communication - but her awesome family has made a huge difference, too!
That being said, some days Cali didn't feel well enough to complete a full day of school work. At times she suffered from what she dubbed "Chemo Brain", an inability to focus. These days called for a lot of Netflix. On other days, she'd complete her schoolwork from bed. Some days, she just slept -and that was okay!
"Cancer first, school second," she told me.
That’s the beauty of cyber school, and why she chose to attend PA Distance. The teachers developed an alternative schedule based on Cali's needs. She kept the teachers informed of her treatment schedule and how she was feeling from day to day. They were able to create a plan that worked for Cali.
Since Cali isn’t your typical student, communication and working ahead proved to be a must for success.
Her Spanish teacher, for example, called Cali to check on her and work out a good schedule. She then emailed her all the assignments for that period of time in one email for Cali’s convenience. If Cali communicated that she needed schedule adjustments, Ms. Lesko made adjustments to best fit her needs. This kept Cali on track, while allowing her to focus on her health.
Cali is among many other cyber school students who are attending because of health reasons. For others finding themselves in a similar situation, she had a few helpful tips:
Keep a good attitude
“It'll be hard,” she said honestly. “Focusing on positivity and confidence, finding the best in the bad situations, and counting through the bad moments will all help.”
Stay organized
“Be organized! Simple things become overwhelming. The more organized you are, the less you'll get overwhelmed.”
When you can work, work!
“If you're well enough to work, work! Work ahead when you know you're going to be out of school. Even if you're bored work ahead in case you have an unforeseen event that causes you to miss work.”
What Now?
Cali finished her chemo treatments at the end of the school year, and she and her family are thankful that her latest scans were cancer free! While she has a pretty major surgery ahead, she's staying positive and looking for the beauty in everything. She fought hard, and she won this battle.