SAC Alumna Becomes Fitness Instructor for Older Adults
Moving from her home country, Mexico, to the United States, Zoila D’lynn felt stumped
when
trying to restart learning the English language.
“My education in Mexico was only through sixth grade, and it was not because I didn’t
want to
keep studying, but because of situational barriers,” D’lynn said.
One day at her Catholic church’s school, she discovered that ESL classes were offered.
Feeling
homesick, D’lynn decided to enroll at Santa Ana College’s Centennial Education Center.
Her husband encouraged her to enroll to master her English-speaking skills and bond
with
others that are overcoming language barriers.
After she learned the basic levels of ESL, she faced hardships while attending Santa
Ana High
School’s nightly intermediate ESL classes.
D’lynn did not have a car to drive to school and had to coordinate with her husband’s
work
schedule to arrive at class on time. On top of that stressor, she was close to the
due date for the
delivery of her first child and had to muster up the strength to climb three flights
of stairs for
every night class.
Despite the pain, she persevered and successfully passed all the ESL levels before
her child
was born.
“My advice to students who want to learn English but are nervous or hesitant is to
believe in
themselves and go for it,” D’lynn said. “Remember that not moving through these challenges
can block your dreams and accomplishments.”
After her baby was born, she returned to school and pursued her Adult High School
diploma at
the Centennial Education Center where she was always greeted by her professors with
a warm
smile.
“When I was taking ESL classes, the instructors were very supportive and made me feel
less
intimidated and frustrated to learn a new language,” she said. “I will never forget
one professor
encouraging me to apply for Santa Ana College.”
D’lynn was initially hesitant to apply until she heard on the radio that free grants
can cover her
schooling at Santa Ana College.
“I immediately enrolled and with grants, scholarships and good grades I was able to
complete
two AA degrees and three exercise certificates,” she said.
She earned an associate in exercise science with honors, associate in arts with honors,
CSU
general education certificate of achievement, exercise science sports medicine certificate
and
exercise science certificate.
As she crossed the stage and was handed her certificate for the Adult High School
graduation
at Santa Ana College, she felt excited to catch glimpses of her husband and two children
cheering for her on the stands.
Her goal to become a fitness instructor became closer to reality, which propelled
her to pursue
her bachelor’s in science with an emphasis in kinesiology and a minor in gerontology
at
California State University Fullerton.
Again balancing the demands of motherhood with her two children that attended different
schools, she juggled her school work, caring for her family and picking up her kids
from school
while her husband worked to support the family.
On campus, she landed an internship at the Center for Successful Aging where she volunteered
her time serving older adults for three semesters.
“Since 2013, I have dedicated my time to work with the Geriatic population,” D’lynn
said. “I feel
so much empathy for older adults, especially those who may feel abandoned.”
Now this spring semester through the Older Adults Program at Santa Ana College’s Centennial
Education Center, D’lynn has begun teaching a “Beginning Exercise and Wellness” class
at
different facilities which includes The Hills Post Acute, Citrus Post-Acute, Acacia
Adult Day
Health Care and Advanced Rehab Center of Tustin.
“I decided to become an Older Adults instructor because I have developed a deep passion
supporting older adults,” she said. “It fills my heart to make a positive contribution
and make a
difference in the lives of others.”