TUCSON, Ariz. - On most days, you'll find STAR Academic High School senior Joselyn Medina Romero in a classroom after school, working.
On an average day, Medina works on homework from her laptop, prepares study guides and catches up on any other work for other classes.
While she's referred to as one of the hardest workers by her teachers, Medina said that wasn't always the case.
“My freshman and sophomore year I started off at Sunnyside but I did horrible there," she said.
After those first two years, she decided she needed a change, so she transferred to STAR Academic High School.
Despite those first few difficult academic years, Medina told KGUN9 its been whats happened in the past couple of months that have made the biggest impact on her.
“This year my brother passed away and my dad also passed away within like two months they both passed away," Medina said.
What is an unimaginable situation for many took a toll on Medina, almost forcing her to put her education on the back burner.
“I didn’t want to come back I just wanted to drop out and give up on everything," she said.
Medina added it was her other siblings and her mom who pushed her to continue going to school despite everything she was going through, so she listened and did just that.
Medina also said it was her goal of graduating high school and getting to college that also pushed her.
“I want to be in the medical field. Either a doctor or nurse or something within there," Medina said.
While her teachers and principal credit Medina with working hard and being a self-starter, Medina said it was the help of her principal, Theresa Tenace, that kept ehr coming back to school day after day.
It’s just about how can I support Jo through this and how can I support her family," said Tenace.
As for Medina, she is set to graduate on time in May 2020. She told KGUN9 that she hopes to get right to college and pursue her dreams and even though her brother and her dad won't be physically present at her high school graduation Medina said she knows they'd be so proud.
"I would just tell them I did it, and more is coming," she said.
