Third semester nursing student, Anastasia Sala received a $500 scholarship from the Los Cerritos Federation of Women’s Clubs, Thursday.

The criteria for the scholarship was that the student had to be in his/her third or fourth semester in the nursing program, have been born in the United States, and the student had to submit an essay describing why he/she wanted to receive the scholarship.

Director/chair of the nursing department, Charlene Fobi, RN, MN, Ed. D said the Los Cerritos Federation of Women’s Clubs gives a scholarship to a deserving student every year.

She said, “The nursing department is very grateful to the Los Cerritos Women’s foundation for giving to the students so freely from its heart every year. . . . It really benefits that student.”

Sala has maintained a grade point average of 3.09 in all of her nursing courses, and she expects to complete the program in May 2002.

She feels that part of what earned her the scholarship was that she was “realistic” in what she wrote in her essay.

“There’s a difference between necessities and wants. . . . The cost of education here isn’t really that bad, so I said it wasn’t really a necessity to have, but the desire to have the want,” Sala said.

To get her nursing license, she will have to take the state nursing board exam, which will cost her $300. She plans on using some of the money toward that.

Sala is very well grounded, and takes life in stride. Most people would not be able to go through the program and maintain a 3.09 GPA with the same difficulties she faces.

She is married, and has three children, ages five months, five years and 10 years.

While she is attending Cerritos College, only her husband is working. “With one income in the family, it can be a struggle, but my mom raised us to believe that if we have the necessities in life, then we’re doing fine, so that’s our attitude now. We know our head’s are above water, we’re not suffering, we’re not struggling . . . just as long as we know our head’s are above water we’re fine.”

She says what’s really important to her is the family support she receives. “It really helps a lot,” she said.

Sala wasn’t always interested in nursing. She said before getting married she was interested in medical technology and psychology.

Her interests changed to nursing, however, a few years ago, when her father passed away.

“When my father was in the hospital, nearing the days of his death I noticed that the people he was most dependent upon were the nurses. I just saw the rapport and the love that he [had with them,] . . . the need and the dependence he had for them.

“That’s how I would want t be there for someone during their last moments. It just touched my heart.”

Fobi described Sala as “a very dedicated student. She works very hard, and she’s self motivated. She’s here to achieve a goal, and you know she’s working toward that goal.”

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