I have to admit that I believe that the best part of this whole month long experience was just watching "my girls" become themselves! At the beginning of our journey, I remember Courtney being kind of quiet and shy, Cynthia seeming to be indifferent, and Susan always smiling and happy. Through the last month, I got to see more of their true selves come out as they learned to be more independent and critical thinkers.
I remember the first time I saw Courtney busting up laughing when we were walking down the street to Ben & Jerry's for our first meeting during our first week at UPenn, shattering my initial impression of her as a quiet, shy, young woman. I loved that Cynthia's dad called to check up on her because she kept telling him that "everything was fine" and he didn't know if that was true, or if she was just saying that because things weren't fine. And I remember when Susan first took charge and made an executive decision that the four of us should meet once a week at a "nice" to catch up and discuss the following week. All of them caught me off guard and changed my initial impressions of them. Throughout the summer, I got to see "my girls" become more confident in class and take initiative by going to PAACH to talk to June; become more
social by making so many new friends from around the world; become leaders by taking charge in their journal club groups, presentations, and final essays; and come closer to the amazing and dynamic women that they are destined to become by achieving their dreams and goals by going to magnificent universities.Now, we all have to support Susan Lee (and bug throughout the semester) as she applies to UPenn's "The College" this coming fall. She should be well aware that she has all of our support and encouragement during this difficult semester of AP courses and college applications and statements of purpose.
I can't begin to thank Charles, Madeline, and all of our supporters for
the amazing opportunity to spend a summer with three amazingly bright women. I know that we always focus on what our students learn and gain from the opportunities that the Ivy League Connection offers our students, but as an educator, I too am always learning new things from my students and my experiences with my students. By far, this has been one of the best experiences I've ever had.THANKS.
I believe that this is how all four of us felt bythe end of our month at UPenn! Thanks Susan.
2 comments:
All of you were wonderful and represented the district very well. I am tickled pink with the girls development during their time in Philadelphia. I know that many of you will remember the hot and humid days along with the fantastic buidlings on the UPENN campus. But what all of you will remember is the wonderful people and the interesting cultures that were on campus.
This is now the time to engage other students and staff and alert them to what is going on with the Ivy League Connection and how this experience has changed not only your life but the life of young people.
You and others at El Cerrito High School are now armed with knowledge that can be shared with others who may have never heard or believed that an Ivy League Education is "within their reach".
Ivy League Universities will congregate in Northern California during the month of September and I hope that our WCCUSD staff will spend time learning about what these colleges have to offer and how our "gifted and talented" can be mainstreamed into this community.
Patty, you did a wonderful job of making us feel that we were right with you at UPENN. I also agree with your assessment that we have to stay on top of our students and support them through the college application process. I know that for many it will be a difficult time and one filled with anxiety.
The important part is to make sure that they select a school that makes them comfortable. For one to pick the wrong school would be terrible and I would not want to see any of our students make an uninformed choice, so I am glad that our ILC students have had a chance to spend some time on a college campus.
So thanks again and now it is back to work. Good luck this year at the new El Cerrito High School campus. The campus looks beautiful.
Take care.
Charles T. Ramsey
Patty⎯A wonderful analysis and observations.
I know how our Ladies at Penn grew with every new experience but I also have to wonder if there was more to them than we ever might have envisioned except that we were never familiar enough with them (and vice versa) for them to feel comfortable enough around us to be themselves. Perhaps in future years we might consider working during the Spring at developing a bond before we head back east and try to forge that bond at the same time we’re throwing all of the tough stuff at them.
There’s no question that in these photos, you all look like old time friends. It’s a nice look.
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