Liberty student graduates ahead of her class

By Julie Zuber Giese
News-Sentinel staff writer

Several years ago, 17-year-old Jamie Rhodes was failing school.

Rhodes was cutting classes daily and eventually stopped attending Lodi High School.

The once-outstanding student said she felt lost as a freshman.

“When I was at Lodi High, I didn’t feel like I fit in.”

Rhodes transferred mid-school year to Liberty High School, a Lodi continuation school, to make up lost credits.

This year, she graduates a year ahead of the rest of her Lodi High classmates. She earned enough credits for an adult school diploma.

Rhodes has already started taking classes at San Joaquin Delta College, finishing at the top of her class in chemistry and psychology. It was an accomplishment which helped her regain self-esteem, she said.

She plans to continue taking general courses at Delta needed to transfer to CSU Northridge. She wants to pursue a career in psychology, she said.

The academic turn-around was inspired by her teachers and mother, Juanita Rhodes, she said.

“Teachers would say, ‘You could really go far if your just tried’,” she said.

Determined to do better, Rhodes heeded the advice and worked to improve her grades.

“I did so much this year,” she said. “I earned more credits than any other year.”

She also tackled a new school internship program called City as Schools.

After 60 hours of training at the Women’s Center of San Joaquin County in Stockton, Rhodes was certified as a peer counselor. Since then, she’s volunteered more than 100 hours at the center.

The Lodi resident said she initially wanted to intern with a psychologist, but she couldn’t because of patient confidentiality.

The learning experience, though, has left her eager to seek a career to help others overcome their problems, Rhodes said.

In addition to her studies and internship, Rhodes worked at least 25 hours each week at Gymweavers Gymnastics Center teaching children to tumble and roll.

Rhodes said she’ll miss high school, but she’s excited about the possibilities beyond.

“I’ll go back and visit,” she said. “The school gave me so many opportunities. The teachers were just wonderful. They just push you.”