A year ago, Victoria Martinez Penaranda decided to transfer from San Marcos to Alta Vista Alternative High after discovering it wasn’t the right fit for her.
That change became a catalyst for her future in the Santa Barbara Unified School District.
Now, she’s taking her experiences to the highest body in the district as the first student board member from a nontraditional high school, or what the district calls “alternative education.”
“I really hope to make students at alternative education feel represented and really feel like they belong,” Penaranda told the News-Press. “Because we are all one district. We’re all connected.”
She is the sixth student in district history to serve in the position.
In moving from a student body of 2,000 peers to one of 100, from a traditional high school to an alternative education school, she found a place for herself.
Mental health advocacy
She became an advocate for student mental health, a campus leader and an illustration of how alternative education can benefit certain students.
“She is a good example of how students can be successful in one place and truly fly in another,” Carlos Cohen, her principal at Alta Vista, told the News-Press.
He described how alternative education isn’t spotlighted as much as traditional schools in the district. Most of the narrative around alternative education, he said, comes from a lack of understanding. But over the past couple years, Alta Vista has made strides to change that.
The timing of Penaranda becoming the student board member further aligns with those efforts.
“She really exemplifies what we as a program, an alternative education program, stand for,” Cohen said. “She captures the diversity and the struggles and obstacles that a lot of our kids face.”
Cohen said he’s seen her confidence and sense of community grow since transferring to Alta Vista and, in turn, her generosity to the school.
“As she gets, she gives,” Cohen said.
Penaranda is an incoming senior at Alta Vista Middle College, one of four programs the alternative high school offers. There, she takes college classes concurrent with high school classes. When she was at San Marcos, she was sophomore class president, played tennis and ran track. She has also served on the superintendent’s student advisory council as the Alta Vista representative.
At Middle College, Penaranda started the Wellness Connection Club, which works to establish a sense of belonging for students struggling with their mental health, and has presented it to junior high schools and family events on campus. She has ambitions of turning it into an official club at Santa Barbara City College, where her campus is located.
“[Penaranda] can speak to what a lot of kids are experiencing,” Cohen said. “Students are facing a lot of social and emotional wellness issues.”
Through the club, she teaches free yoga to students in public parks like Mission Rose Garden.
“Making it accessible to students who otherwise wouldn’t have access to it is really important to me,” Penaranda said.
Vulnerability as a strength
The club’s broader purpose, though, is to help break the stigma around student mental health.
“I think when you’re struggling, it can be hard to speak up for yourself just because there’s so much stigma and it can feel like a vulnerable position to be in,” Penaranda said. “I love talking about my experiences because when I hear other teens speak out about their experiences, it can feel so empowering.”
Her advisor at YouthWell, where she’s interned for the past year, described Penaranda as having a “willingness to bring her vulnerability from experiences.”
“She brings her personal lived experiences,” said Rachael Steidl, founder and CEO of the Santa Barbara-based youth mental health center. “She is an empathetic person, especially to what other students experience, and wants to see change so that youth are supported.”
Last year, Penaranda spoke on a panel for YouthWell where she opened up about her own mental health experiences.
Afterwards, she had adults come up to her and thank her.
“She saw the value in it,” Steidl said.
Penaranda has worn many hats as an intern for YouthWell. She serves on the Youth Advocacy Board, taking up a position leading monthly mentor sessions with high school students. Previously, she’s been involved in taking her work at YouthWell to school campuses and has helped with planning wellness campaigns.
“Victoria has been really involved in many things,” Steidl said. “She has a jump-in attitude.”
Penaranda said she hopes to continue her advocacy on the school board by connecting students to existing mental health resources at Santa Barbara unified schools. Currently, there is a wellness center at Dos Pueblos and Santa Barbara High.
“The district has done a really wonderful job in creating and expanding so many of their mental wellness resources at the schools,” Penaranda said. “I would love to be an advocate and promote those resources.”
Looking toward the future
When Steidl found out Penaranda was selected to be the student board member, she felt like the board chose perfectly.
Principal Cohen said he wasn’t surprised at all, and would’ve been surprised had they not chosen her.
He was also responsible for nominating and recommending Penaranda as the representative from their school to be considered for student board member, saying she’s respected by her teachers and her peers look up to her.
“I had no doubt whatsoever and felt super confident in recommending her,” Cohen said.
The board introduced Penaranda as the new student board member at its May 19 meeting.
“Victoria is a true change agent, an extraordinary champion for mental wellness and a dedicated advocate for student needs,” said district Superintendent Hilda Maldonado during the meeting.
Carlos Taft-Vazquez, the previous student board member, recently began onboarding Peneranda, a transfer-of-power tradition he started during his tenure. She said she was inspired by the work he did as student board member, such as creating a high school mentoring program, and hopes to take on a project of her own.
The outgoing student board member attended his final board meeting on June 9.
“The shoes are huge to fill,” said Bill Banning, board president. “And you know what, I think they’re going to be filled.”
