Front Page Feature: Global Citizen Year in the SF Chronicle

Lucy Blumberg was the classic Lowell High School student.

The San Francisco teen strove for straight A’s and fell short by one B – in driver’s education – and was accepted into the prestigious Northwestern University, her first step to becoming a doctor.

But by the time the college acceptance letter arrived in the mailbox, Blumberg realized she was burned out.

She still wanted to go to college, but not yet.

So Blumberg joined a growing number of American teens taking a yearlong break from homework, midterms and textbooks and headed to West Africa to work in health clinics.