From online to campus, from Death Valley to Del Playa

The sunny beaches of Santa Barbara are a stark change from the hot deserts of Death Valley and are the perfect respite for Autumn Smith, who is entering her first year at UCSB.

Smith has lived in the mining town of Ryan in Death Valley since she was four years old and completed her high school education online at California Online Public High Schools (CalOPS) at the age of 17.

The nearest brick and mortar (conventionally built) high school is about two hours away from where Smith lives, making travel difficult. In addition, she works as an environmental engineer for the Timbisha Shoshone tribe, the indigenous people of Death Valley, to help them monitor their water and air quality. Smith's job involves taking chemical measurements on water wells and logging data to ensure the water is safe to drink.

CalOPS' flexibility allowed Smith to find a balance between attending classes and working, while also meaning she could better manage her time to ensure she kept up with her studies while still having enough time for her work as an environmental engineer.

“I wasn't in the classroom all the time and had to learn to manage my own time,” Smith said. Her high school life consisted of live classes, watching recorded lectures, and attending office hours regularly. CalOPS also offers a variety of courses, including a number of AP courses that often match or exceed the number of AP courses offered by other online public high schools. Smith jumped at the opportunity to take as many as she could, including AP Biology, Calculus AB and BC, and AP U.S. History. The courses helped her meet her high school general education requirements, but also allowed her to continue to challenge herself.

Independence proved challenging at times, especially since her education was entirely online. Inevitably, in a virtual environment, she received much less support than someone attending a traditional high school. Although there were office hours and live classes, there were still moments when meetings were canceled, and it was up to her to make sure she was more engaged in studying and preparing.

Finding a testing location for AP courses also proved to be a challenge. With the nearest schools nearly two hours away, taking a test was a major investment that included AP test fees, travel time, gas money, and even finding a place to stay. In addition, Smith noted that she was anxious not only because of the test, but also because she was in an unfamiliar environment to take an important test.

But her latest challenge: choosing a university. Choosing between UCLA and UCSB was a very difficult decision, Smith explained. Her mother had attended UCLA and family trips had introduced her to the campus. However, a visit to UCSB quickly changed her mind.

“I come from a very rural community and the open spaces at UCSB have been very welcoming,” she explained. “And living on the beach is an opportunity you can't miss.”

Smith will study biology at UCSB, supported by a $16,000 scholarship awarded to her by the Death Valley 49ers Association. The scholarship program provides four-year academic scholarships to eligible students in the Death Valley region, with only one $16,000 scholarship awarded each year.

For Smith, community outreach and active involvement have always been an important part of her life. Her parents' work with the Death Valley Conservancy helped introduce her to volunteer work. Through her rural upbringing, volunteering, and later work with the Timbisha Shoshone Tribe, she learned firsthand the importance of environmental stewardship.

Smith first got involved through volunteer work. “I've always really enjoyed getting to know people and asking, 'What can I do to make my home a better place?'” Living in a very rural area, it was difficult for everyone to communicate with each other. So she started volunteering to work with the tribe and grew to enjoy having the opportunity to network and know she was making a difference, especially with such a valuable resource as water.

“You can see the impact in real life. It makes you appreciate and understand it a lot more,” Smith explained of her interest in studying biology. “You can't argue 'when am I going to apply this in real life' when it's happening right in front of your eyes.” The biology major closely parallels Smith's work in biochemistry, where she studies what's in the water and how it affects the ecosystem.

Although Smith's journey to UCSB is just beginning, she is excited to arrive on campus and explore all it has to offer, especially the opportunity to make new friends and take more in-person classes. She is looking forward to more support and being in an in-person class with her fellow students, and of course, the beach!

“It's incredible,” Smith added, “that thanks to the help of CalOPS, I'm able to attend one of the best schools in the country. It has made all the challenges of high school worthwhile.”