Pitman High School graduating senior Samantha Scott has spent 15,210 hours in class while a student in the Turlock Unified School District over the past 13 years. Each school year consists of 180 days and Scott has been at all 2,340 days, from kindergarten to senior year of high school.
“I don’t really think of it as a big deal. It’s what I do and I don’t see it as such a long time,” said Scott. “If you really think of the big picture in education, it is worth being there every day because it makes a difference in your success.”
While Scott’s perfect attendance is admirable, it is not accidental as both of her older sisters and her mother earned perfect attendance for 13 years as well. However, Scott’s personal situation is particularly commendable due to the fact that she made it to school each and every day despite being diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease the summer before her junior year—an immune related disease that caused Scott extreme pain and fatigue. Scott informed her teachers of her situation prior to school starting and prepared to be present and do the work even though it made for what Scott calls a “rocky year.” Despite the setback, Scott soldiered on and is now graduating in the top 10 percent of her class and has been symptom free for the past year.
“After awhile you get used to going to school even if you get up not feeling your best. You still get up. You still go. You will be fine,” said Scott.
Scott intends to bring her proactive and hardworking approach to California State University, Stanislaus next year where she plans to study Sociology with the hopes of one day returning to high school as a guidance counselor. She is looking forward to being more self sufficient and having more independence while working on assignments, something she takes just as seriously as she does showing up for class.
“When she is doing her homework after school, don’t bother her until she is done,” joked mother Deb Scott.
As for graduation this week, Scott is eagerly anticipating receiving her diploma to join the ranks of her mom and sisters as well as leaving the school district she has called home the past 13 years to begin new traditions at CSUS this fall.