We would classify the entire process as SIMPLY AMAZING.
I am the Father of Alysa Butler and I was reflecting on
how this amazing opportunity began. I believe it was in the month of December,
2011 as we were all beginning our day. Alysa, mentioned that she would be
attending an informational assembly to be held on campus given by the ILC
Alysa, always has been very active on campus participating in different clubs
and study groups—many of which I was familiar with but I had not heard of the
Ivy League Connection. I asked, “What is the Ivy League Connection?” She said, “I
will tell you later.”
When she returned home that evening. She was excited
and told us that the Ivy League Connection is a group formed by the WCCUSD that
selects students to tour some of the colleges on the East Coast and participate
in a Summer Educational Program. The ILC is planning to send two people and depart
on June 25th, 2012 and return on July 28th, 2012. I
thought, WOW!, it must be expensive. Some of the colleges that they were planning
to visit were Yale, Washington University (in St. Louis), Cornell, UPENN and
others. The lucky few would get to experience living in a dorm room.
We encouraged her to submit an application and
participate in the process. Part of the process was a meet and greet between
the ILC and Parents. We had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Charles Ramsey, Mrs.
Madeline Kronenberg and Mr. Don Gosney at the meeting. Each ILC staff person
gave an overview of their role in the program and assured each parent that
their child would be safe. The dorms were staffed with security 24 hrs a day
whose responsibility was to monitor the premises for the safety or the
residents. All ILC participants would receive three meals per day and have
supervision by a chaperone. This information eased the apprehension and eased
the stress.
There had been a series of interviews of Alysa's
instructors at school and recommendations and finally through the process of
elimination there were eight students selected as finalists. However, only two
lucky people would be able to represent the school at the Academy of Physics at
UPENN. Alysa came home one day and said, we have to be at El Cerrito High
School at 5 PM. She announced that she had made it to the final
interview. She seemed very calm but I was nervous enough for both of us.
We ate a little dinner and hurried off to the final
interview. Upon our arrival as we searched for the room we were becoming
anxious because we did not want to be late for the interview but some of the
doors were locked. Finally we located the room. We were not the last to arrive.
Then a familiar face, Don Gosney, he was brought refreshments and let us know
that the interviewing staff was running a few minutes late. Don informed us of
the process to be followed. He informed us that we would draw numbers from a
cup to establish a numerical order for interviews.
Alysa drew number five. The interviews began number
one, two, three, with each interview lasting longer than the first. Then number
four which I though would never end. Finally, number five. I offered a few
words of encouragement to Alysa and told her how much I love her and to do her
best. I was a nervous wreck. Alysa, though, seemed very calm throughout the
entire process. I began to realize that she was confident, that she would do
well.
She returned after what seemed like an eternity. I asked
how did you do? She said OK but did not want to talk about the process because
there were still three prospective people to interview in the room. After all
interviews were complete we all took a 10 minute break. After the break all
participants and their parents were asked to go across the hall to the interview
room We all met the interviewers which consisted of some professors, community
business people and teachers
After all the introductions were complete they
announced the two final people to become part of the Ivy League Connection.
SIMPLY AMAZING! Alysa Butler was named as one of the two people selected. I was
overjoyed for her. As we drove home I became more and more excited for her.
Slowly I began to realize she had never been gone from home for such a long
period of time nor had she been so far away.
The next meeting was with Don Gosney. There were
consent forms to sign and packets of information that needed to be faxed to
UPENN (that was the school Alysa was selected to attend). She would become part
of the advanced Physics Academy. WOW! SIMPLY AMAZING.
We managed to get all the paperwork done and returned
in a timely manner. We had a final meeting and met the Chaperone Mr. Ian
Lawrence. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mr. Ramsey, Mrs.
Kronenberg, Mr. Gosney and Mr. Lawrence for the care and concern given to my
daughter throughout the entire process, THANK YOU
On the Morning of 06/25/12 at approx 3:30 AM they were
off to catch their flight at San Francisco Airport to Philadelphia, PA. Throughout
the next month I was in contact with my daughter regularly. I was never concerned
about her safety and welfare because I was confident that the Ivy League Connection
would watch over her. She met many diverse groups of people and got the
opportunity to interact with them academically and socially. She experienced
riding the trains of New York City and has been to some places that will enrich
her personally.
THANK YOU,
Denise & Kerry Butler
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