motivation: Grad finds motivation to succeed

By Zeke Barlow, zbarlow@VenturaCountyStar.com
June 13, 2006

When Brenda Franco got ready for her high school graduation Monday, she changed out of her nice clothes and put on her favorite blue jeans.

That might seem to be the reverse order for some, but for Franco, the Renaissance High School graduation was the least formal part of her day.


The more formal, serious part was the time she spent working at a law firm in dress pants and a button-up blouse, a job that she's hoping one day will take her out of the classroom and into a courtroom.

"Even though I was voted class clown, I want to be a lawyer," said Franco, 17, who graduated first in her class Monday.

The Santa Paula teen grew up watching court shows on TV, fascinated by the lawyers demanding answers and pacing in front of the judge. When she went to court with a friend who got in trouble, Franco was captivated by the lawyers and judges. But for many years, she had little drive.

"I was a very lazy student," she said. "I only concentrated on history and art classes."

She transferred to Renaissance last year and said she found the motivation she needed in the alternative-style education. Before long, her grades went from Cs and Ds to A's and Bs.

"My turnaround was Renaissance," she said. "I love this place."

She was working in retail, but when her sister told her about an opening at the Ventura law firm where she worked, Franco jumped at the chance. She now does filing, typing and hopes to do research over the summer.

"She's very enthusiastic about learning new things," said Tawnee Barajas, the firm's marketing director.

Before she started at the law firm, Franco was thinking about going into photography or cosmetology but didn't really have a clear direction, she said.

"I was all over the place," she said.

The work at the firm has helped her focus. She wants to go to Ventura College next year and has her sights set on Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego.

Franco sees the purity of law, of lawyers helping get justice done.

"I like how they are kind of a hero for some people," she said.

She's thinking about going into construction defection law, which the lawyers at her firm practice, although she's keeping her options open.

But all this doesn't mean that Franco doesn't have the trappings of adolescence. When not working or going to school, she loves to write poetry about — what else? — boys.