When Sophia Unciano first stepped onto the Hanna Academy campus in June 2023 as its first female student, this marked a turning point in the school’s 77-year history.
Unciano not only managed to overcome personal challenges — particularly in accepting accountability for her actions — but also achieved great success at the school, graduating this spring and discovering a Career Technical Education path in nondestructive testing of materials.
A nonpublic high school in Sonoma, Hanna Academy provides individualized education programs to young people who have experienced trauma or face emotional and behavioral challenges that make traditional schools a tough fit.
Unciano also has provided guidance and assistance to other young girls who subsequently entered the school and now comprise 25% (11 of 44) of the student body.
“One of the biggest influences Sophia has on our current and incoming female students is showing them that they are capable of diving into typically male-dominant industries,” said Courtney Jackson, principal of Hanna Academy. “If they show up at a high school and the one or two girls that already go there are grinding in the welding room or cutting in the wood shop, they feel able to jump right in and not worry about what people are going to think about them.
“Sophia’s biggest influence has not been what she’s dictated verbally as much as what she’s shown through her actions.”
Three current Hanna Center students — Kiana Preston and the others who only wanted to be identified as Kameron G. and E.S.— described how Unciano has helped them to overcome challenges and succeed.
“Me and Sophia are tight,” Preston said. “When I got to Hanna, she was not like she is now. She got herself together and has a good job and her freedom, but she also has a balanced life. She’s helped me and she’s stood up for me.”
Preston said Unciano pushes her to be more confident and better overall.
“I want to set up opportunities for myself and have certain things, like Sophia with her internship,” Preston said.
Kameron G. said Sophia is a good person, “very mouthy, but you know it’s a good thing about her.”
“We love her for that,” Kameron G. said. “She has actually helped me out a lot. She’s helped me with my scars. She’s loud and she’s cool.”
E.S. recalled that Sophia said “hi” to her when they first met, but felt the interaction was very awkward.
“But as I got to know her, I found out that she is really nice, and she gives a lot of good advice to people, especially to my friends, because she shared what she’s gone through,” E.S. said.
E.S., Kameron G. and Preston explained more about their ongoing experiences and the ways they have achieved successes at Hanna Center.