‘It was the Best Decision I Could Have Made’

Adult School helps student launch medical career

Alicia Torres-Wynne graduated high school at 40. Since then, she’s been making up for lost time. In the span of five years, she earned her diploma, completed both medical assisting and phlebotomy programs and is in the final stages of becoming a licensed vocational nurse (LVN).

Torres-Wynne left high school her senior year and went on to work a total of 23 years in customer service and accounting jobs — something that paid the bills but wasn’t fulfilling. In 2015, she decided it was time to change and went back to school to earn her high school diploma at the Jurupa Adult School.

“I had been considering job-growth opportunities which required further education, and not having my high school diploma was always in the back of my mind. Honestly it haunted me for years,” she says. “It was the best decision I could have made.”

“If you’re going to do something for the rest of your life, why not do something you’re passionate about?”

Alicia Torres-Wynne, Graduate of Jurupa Adult School

While Torres-Wynne could have advanced her existing career, she opted instead to change it entirely and enrolled in Jurupa’s medical assisting program.

“If you’re going to do something for the rest of your life, why not do something you’re passionate about?” she says.

After she completed the program, she was offered a position at the same hospital she served her externship. According to Dr. Annamarie Montañez, principal of Jurupa Adult School, health care workers are always in demand.

“Prior to the pandemic, we saw with the programs that we have, probably a 15 to 20% increase (in demand). … We know health care is usually ever-growing,” she says. “I would say nine times out of 10, our students do really well and they get hired at their externship site.”

For many students, one of the biggest obstacles to entering the medical field is cost. According to Montañez, similar medical assisting programs at private colleges can cost upwards of $20,000. At Jurupa Adult School, the entire program costs students $250.

“With that, we include uniforms, we include CPR certifications, we include books, their blood pressure cuff — everything that they’re going to need to go out and work,” she says. “When I got here to this district and I spoke with the superintendent (Elliott Duchon), he wanted to make it all very accessible to the community.”

Even after graduating, Torres-Wynne says her former teachers are still a source of support.

“When I had my self doubts and insecurities, they were always there and very encouraging,” she says. “They share your successes with you and they’re happy to see that you went further than you initially decided to.”

For more information about Jurupa Adult School programs, visit www.jurupausd.org/schools/adultalternativeeducation.

Written by Anne Stokes.

Regions	Classes
Southern California	Careers in Health Care – High School