Sarah Bayless has turned her turbulent life around. She has overcome the challenges of being raised by a schizophrenic mother and a father she describes as an alcoholic who was rarely around. While growing up, Sarah’s mom was very paranoid and would not let Sarah play or socialize with other children. Sarah thought that this sort of paranoia was a normal part of life.

When she was seven-years-old police removed her from her mother’s care and Sarah went to live with her grandmother. That was the first time she saw how most families lived. She felt abandoned and struggled for years with feelings of being unworthy and even considered suicide at one point. Her new life began in the Summer of 2002. That’s when she began to feel worthy of good things and good friends.

The turning point for Sarah came on an Outward Bound trip she took the summer of her sophomore year. She spent three weeks in the Sierras where she opened up and was strongly encouraged by counselors to talk freely about her problems. It was there that she began to make a fresh start. Sarah decided to work on putting her sadness behind her.

For Sarah, college will mean a whole new arena in which to try out the “new” Sarah. She hopes to join the Peace Corps and later become a journalist. Her new passions are writing and music.

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