Rising Above Adversity

By Kristie Nguyen

“I was very stressed joining CCA (College Connection Academy) to be honest.” explained Karyn Tang, a Yerba Buena senior who has attended CCA since middle school. 

Since her older brother was attending Yerba Buena, her parents placed her into CCA due to convenience. As she took her first step into the new school, she observed that it was small, but pleasantly surprised to see that it had a stage and a track. Despite feeling overwhelmed by many new faces, she was able to connect with her old friends and thrive: “In fact, I thank COVID for giving me the opportunity to make more CCA friends. After everyone was meeting each other again after an extremely long time, it was easier to connect and make friends.”

Because of the required path every CCA student must follow as they enter high school, Tang struggled with maintaining her GPA as time went on; AP courses and college classes were part of that path, and many students struggled to balance academics with personal lives.

Moreover, she has only limited interaction with YB students and has mostly been around CCA students. She often hears about their accomplishments, making her feel culpable for not achieving as much as they have. 

Tang: “I feel pressured to be as proactive as them and even now, being in multiple clubs and a sport, I feel as if it’s not enough,” sighed Tang. 

Despite the stress and sleepless nights that came with doing CCA, she found motivation in seeing others around her and not giving up. In addition, the fact that she was able to leave early on Tuesdays and Thursdays due to her Evergreen Valley College (EVC) classes was a major perk that gave her more free time to pursue other activities. The preparation she gained from her AP classes, EVC classes, and scholarship opportunities pushed her further as a student and a person.

Being a part of CCA has helped her grow in various aspects of her life, including academics, social skills, and personal development. She is constantly motivated by her peers and teachers to strive for success, and they celebrate with her when she achieves her goals.

“I would definitely recommend CCA because there’s no reason not to join. Maybe it’s because I’ve been conditioned in a way since middle school, but I don’t see CCA work as tough. I believe the positives outweigh the negatives,” Tang remarked. 

As her senior year comes to a close and college approaches, Tang stands poised to tackle every hurdle with the unwavering support of CCA and the distant resounding cheers of her peers. 

For Warriors Time, I’m Kristie N