From the Mother of Yessenia Reyna

Hacer Cosas Yo No Pude Hacer; To Do Things I Was Never Able To Do

I remember that cold winter day when my daughter came to me with this incredulous idea. She told me about this program called the Ivy League Connection where they send students to study over at the east coast for the summer. It sounded really nice and all, but I wasn’t too trusting of the whole thing. How could I possibly trust them with my eldest daughter for a whole month? I was about to not let her do this when I realized how great this opportunity could be for my daughter. In the end, I didn’t want to take this amazing opportunity away and stop her from moving forward. Although I was still worried, I agreed to allow my daughter to try and do these things I was never able to do as a teenager. Once she told me she got accepted, my heart filled with so much joy. All the hard work she put in those essays and interview finally paid off and now she would be leaving for an entire month to go to Nashville.

Before she actually left however, the ILC had this plan to let me get more familiar with the people involved, which would help me trust them more. They had several meetings I attended which showed me exactly what would be happening during those 4 weeks. Everyone kindly explained this to me in detail and in a way a worried mother would understand. I also got to meet and talk to my daughter’s chaperone during one of these meetings. At first I was a little surprised to see how many tattoos he had on his arms, but after meeting with him and talking with him several times, I could see that he was the best chaperone possible, and I really wouldn’t have asked for a better one.

Finally, the time came for her departure. Seeing her leave, it really felt as if she was leaving for a year of college. You could say that it prepared me for what is to come in a few years. Overall, this program has made me become more open to letting my daughter leave home. Even though the idea of your first child leaving home scares most mothers like me, I know that this is what life is about. Your child needs to experience life for themselves when they go off to college.

I would like to take the time to thank the Ivy League Connection for all that they have done for my daughter. Thanks to the ILC, I have finally opened my eyes to see the wonderful opportunities that are out there for her and a bunch of other students as well. Even now, it is still hard to imagine a program like this exists for the students of this district. It is absolutely amazing to think of how much work is put into this program and I hope it grows from here.

Thank you,

Dora Reyna

From the Mother of Chris Han

“A Divine Connection”

I thank all of the adults involved for their gifts and generosity.

I thank them all for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity

How has the Ivy League Connection affected me?

The experience has been excellent and extraordinary.

To witness and to see how it has transformed Christopher and me,

I will be forever grateful, for eternity.

He has grown more in maturity,

I have no doubt he can handle the freedom, with the responsibility.

I do not need to fear,

If he decides to attend college far from here.

Because, I know I am in his heart, no matter where.

I thank all the caring adults in this program,

Because of God and His angels

You were able to be a part of something very special.

The opportunities and choices, there is no limit,

You may not know it, or even realize it yet,

But, I expect, God to show us all,

‘How Much Better Can This Get?’

I am proud of what Christopher has accomplished,

And whatever he decides to do, or whoever he becomes,

I will always cherish.

For all I desire is for him to be happy and at peace,

May this always be my heart-felt and sacred wish

I will always be a part of him, and he will always be a part of me,

And I hope when people see us together, they will ask us,

“Why are you so happy?”

Then, I can answer with all sincerity and honesty,

“Because of the Ivy League Connection,

We both have bonded with the most divine connection,

And it has helped both of us be....

Who we were born to be!”

By: Jade Jeong

(Christopher’s Mom)

From the Parents of Alexander Wing

Our son, Alexander, had the most memorable, exciting summer participating in the ILC program at Cornell University. The ILC gave him numerous opportunities, starting at the very beginning with the essay writing and interviews for the program, the orientations and the chance to meet and interact with the supporters of the ILC, Cornell alumni and present Cornell students at the Bay Area Cornell dinner. The dinner was a wonderful opportunity for Alexander to interact with people he did not know and to engage with them on an adult level. Prospect Restaurant was so elegant and the food was delicious - a perfect venue for the event.

The college visits on the East Coast were very well organized and they were most helpful and eye-opening. Participating in the college tours with fellow high school students, and not with his parents, put Alexander in a position to be independent and to figure out for himself what is important for him in choosing a college. He is definitely interested in pursuing colleges on the East Coast and the ILC program gave him a taste for college life in the east.

Once at Cornell, the support from the ILC and the fantastic guidance from Mr. Chan-Law and the Cornell cohort enabled Alexander to learn and grow. He thrived in the academic and social environment at Cornell and he has called this experience for him “life-changing”. The requirement of a daily blog was an inspired addition. Not only did it enable Alexander to reflect on his day, despite how busy he was with his coursework, but it also allowed us at home to follow his activities and get a sense of how he felt about his experiences. The “Freedom and Justice” class surpassed his expectations by providing him with the knowledge to think, defend and support his opinions and to express his ideas verbally and in writing. He received a solid introduction to Plato, John Locke, Communism, Socialism, among other schools of thought, and an understanding of how they relate to present-day thinking, society, government and law! That is quite an accomplishment in only 3 weeks !

The ILC program is phenomenal and words cannot express the appreciation we have for Mr. Ramsey and Ms. Kronenberg for coming up with this vision, bringing it to fruition and for continuing to make it better. A huge thank you to Don Gosney for his tireless efforts in keeping our kids in line, holding them accountable and for arranging the thousands of small but important details that it takes to run and organize this program every year. We would like to thank Mr. Chan-Law for being an amazing chaperone, for keeping our kids safe and stimulated and for being their friend and mentor. And finally, to all of the very generous supporters of the ILC - none of this could happen without you and we thank you for giving our son this opportunity of a lifetime.

Yakesun Wing and Debbie Hayakawa-Wing

From the Parents of Eric Wilson

Overall, we thought the ILC program was excellent. We knew nothing about the ILC prior to Eric’s applying, and we were so pleased to learn that such a program exists in WCCUSD. It was an outstanding opportunity, and we feel very gratified that the district is putting this level of effort into challenging our high-achieving students. A program like this has the potential to raise the bar for everyone. We are grateful for the efforts of those who run the program, as well as the sponsors who invest in our district.

Eric enjoyed the Freedom and Justice course at Cornell and was challenged to work at a higher level. Through the lectures and especially the discussion sections, he gained a broader perspective on learning that we are sure he will apply to the rest of high school and college. The visits to the many eastern universities were a great part of the program as well and really kicked off the college consideration process for him. It is a rare opportunity to meet admissions officers and alumni and receive guidance on the admissions process! Eric is strongly considering applying to Cornell, Penn, and perhaps others. Without the ILC, I believe his consideration of these schools would have been very unlikely.

Eric also enjoyed the support and company of his chaperone, Mr. Chan-Law. Eric thought the level of oversight was just right, and he enjoyed the extra trips and activities, such as to Colgate and Cooperstown, that Mr. Chan-Law provided for the cohort.

In short, a great experience and opportunity. Thanks again to the ILC leaders, team, and sponsors who make this possible.

Sincerely,

Patrick and Amy Wilson

From the Father of Rachael Redlo

We want to thank you and all the supporters of The Ivy League Connection for the wonderful experience our daughter Rachael had this past summer. Rachael’s experience, from our perspective, helped her grow and mature as she prepares for College next year.

Some reflections:

The itinerary was well organized and we appreciated the fact that it involved both parent and student involvement. The college experience to be successful involves all parties.

The pre dinners and meetings with previous alumni was very helpful and gave us a flavor and sense of the experience.

The Cornell Program was challenging with too many students in the class at once in a packed lecture setting. The time frame was exhausting at times. The students had class morning afternoons and nights, Sunday included. I thought that it might have been better to not be so compressed and maybe give the students a chance to experience other resources and opportunities at Cornell. The experience for most Ivy League colleges, however may be similar, so it may not have been bad to feel some pressure to finish a great deal of work on time.

The opportunity to visit other external campuses and spend the first few days on field trips was great. I think it gave the students a chance to experience other Ivy League schools. It was also good for the students to experience other cities specifically on the East Coast where cultural differences may exist. California at times can be very different from the East Coast.

Lastly, I would mention the advantage of the students talking to each other and reporting their activities in addition to talking in front of groups about their experiences and observations. I think this is all part of the learning experience and a great opportunity for our students to express themselves and practice their communication skills.

Again, we want to thank you and all the supporters, Board members, contributors and support staff that made this experience so important and memorable for Rachael and the rest of the students.

Thanks,

Bob Redlo

From the Parents of Hannah Lee Pablo

The moment our daughter, Hannah Lee, mentioned to us that she would apply for the Ivy League Connection, without hesitation and doubt my wife and I gave to her our blessings. We knew that it would not be an easy undertaking she would undergo also considering the experience of our son, Henry III who applied a few years back and did not make it. However, we saw in our daughter her desire and determination to experience the program. We believe she heard a lot of the memorable experiences from those who already underwent the program and how those experiences impacted their lives. They believed in her talent and ability and encouraged her to apply. She received a lot of support from them and on several occasions they gave her tips and the preparation she needed in her application.

Preparing for this undertaking, Hannah Lee, showed a lot of patience researching for the program she would apply to. She connected the program given to her to her long time dream of what she wants to be in the future. She had a lot of questions in mind and sought several people for some answers.  Of those she asked for help and assistance, we believed they gave it to her joyfully and supportively. Patiently and consistently she prepared herself for the battle ahead of her. She admitted it was not an easy one, but along the process of preparations we noticed she had grown maturely.

As her parents and taking some cue from her brother, Henry, we all gave our utmost support and prayers. I could vividly remember on the day of her interview, I saw in my daughter both nervousness and confidence and when I dropped her that morning in school, she just uttered to me, “Dad, pray for me”. The rest I would say, a moment as a father will always remember about her daughter.

She arrived at the library at the start of the interview at 8 AM, and she was the last applicant to be interviewed. I could just imagine the anxiousness of waiting she had for almost four hours. But it paid off; she was accepted. It was a joy of celebration for all of us in the family, and it was the beginning of a new journey in the life of our daughter and the experience that awaited her at Vanderbilt University.

When she received all the necessary papers from the ILC: forms to fill in, medical requirements, rules, guidelines to follow, and parents participation we made it a priority to submit all requirements before the deadline. She gave us also a copy of the calendar of activities and the important dates where we, as parents, needed to attend. She asked me to attend the Dinner at One Market and asked my wife to attend the rest of the orientation activities. The moment she received the email about the dinner, I asked for a copy of it for me to apply for a day off at work. My wife and I were so excited and looking forward for those days where we were asked to attend to meet those people who made this program possible.

The dinner at One Market was one occasion I will never forget. I felt humbled meeting the coordinators, chaperones, and the sponsors of this program as well as the other students and their parents.  I may not have had the chance to meet all the sponsors and alumni but I felt grateful to all of them for their support and dedication to a cause like the Ivy League Connection.

Another excitement I had that night was to hear Hannah speak as their designated speaker of the group—which she accepted confidently. She spoke confidently, full of expectations on her mind. We believed she spoke from her heart and conveyed to all, the feelings of what it feels to be a part of the ILC program. And of course, we all cannot forget the sumptuous dinner we had.

On my wife’s part, she attended the meetings on orientation. She even told me that she too learned a lot from the orientation and felt excited to get all the requirements and things needed in this program.

There were several occasions where both parents had to attend.  We were able to attend the Pinole City Council meeting where the ILC participants were recognized  and met the city officials of Pinole. Another big event was at the West Contra Costa Board meeting where again, the ILC participants were recognized before the officers and the community as well. Then we had this BIG picture taken with all of the ILC participants with their parents and chaperones.

As the days came close to their trip to Vanderbilt University, so did our relationship as a family. It drew us closer to one another. It would be the first time, Hannah will be away from us for almost a month. My wife and I could not express well how it felt to be away from Hannah for several days. She had been away for us a week at most, when she and her brother Henry attended the Pipe Organ Encounter, a yearly summer activity to other states for both of them as church pipe organ scholars.

A few days before their trip we, the parents of the group, had a meeting with their chaperone, Mr. Mannix. He was so caring to the group and he assured us parents that our children will be in good hands throughout their trip to the East Coast.

The send off day on that early Monday morning was full of well wishes, hugs, kisses and prayers.

Their trips to Duke University, Georgetown University, and the University of Pennsylvania were all amazing experiences they had. They celebrated the Fourth of July watching the beautiful fireworks in Washington D.C. They also visited several important landmarks. These tours and visits will always be remembered by them.

The Vanderbilt summer activities of Hannah Lee were so full of learning, insights, meeting new friends, teachers, proctors, gaining new experiences, and a fulfillment  of memories she will always treasure. We saw her grow maturely as she gained a better understanding of what courses she wants to take when she will graduate from high school. She shared with us her experiences meeting different officials of the universities they visited, how they were welcoming and engaging, and the different tips they learned on how to apply for admission to a university. She, too, had a great glimpse of what a university is like and a life in a university. Every day we read her blog and her cohorts’. We read their blogs with joy and for Hannah Lee her friends in the church who already missed her, had also enjoyed reading her blogs.

The pictures she sent us were all manifestations of how she enjoyed her stay in the university. Her pictures will be a treasure she will one day proudly share with others. Her experiences were priceless.

When we met her again after 27 days, we knew our Hannah Lee had changed: more mature, more responsible, and most of all she had a deeper appreciation of the value and importance of learning, experiences, friendship, and fun. She is still searching within herself to see if a college outside of California is right for her, but she will keep her mind open to the wonderful possibilities out there.

My wife and I will always be ever thankful to the coordinators of the Ivy League Connection: Mr. Charles Ramsey, Don Gosney, Ms. Kronenberg, and, Mr. Mannix, just to name a few. Our prayers to your vision and mission in this program is that it will be realized and be achieved. To the sponsors, without them I believe this won’t materialize; may you continue to support this program. To Hannah Lee’s fellow cohorts whom I believe had created an “inner” family within them; to the parents, my wife and I will always treasure your friendship.

Henry E. Pablo, Jr. and Josephine P. Pablo

From the Mother of Chloe Alston

In Chloe’s sophomore year, I had heard about a program called the Ivy League Connection (ILC) and thought that Chloe should definitely be a part of it during her Junior year (I didn’t know it was offered to Sophomores). In the Winter Semester of her Junior year, Chloe came home one day and told me she had missed out on her opportunity to apply to the ILC program because she had not been invited to the informational meeting. Our hearts sank, as it was something she was really looking forward to. She tried gracefully and yet unsuccessfully to let it go, but then a new opportunity arose. I had spoken to Chloe’s 8th grade math teacher, Ms. Nakahara, who was one of the ILC interviewers about Chloe’s disappointment, she got in touch with Don Gosney and mentioned Chloe’s situation, and we learned that a new program – the Social Justice Program at the University of Pennsylvania – was being offered and that she could still apply. It was a stroke of luck!!! Chloe got right on it, wrote her essays, was interviewed and got in.

It sounds easy, but it wasn’t. There are some who believe that the students who apply and go through this process are subject to criticisms and held to expectations that are too high, however, I believe the strenuousness actually helped Chloe understand the brevity of this academic opportunity and what would be expected of her in a college-level atmosphere. She began to scrutinize her actions knowing that depending on them, doors to her future dreams could either open or close. The leaders of the ILC enabled Chloe to be exposed to and embrace possibilities for her future that she had not yet fully considered herself to be a part of. She realized she needed to work hard, stay focused, and be determined to be chosen and maintain her position. It is a program that opens the eyes of our students here in the WCCUSD beyond their everyday reality. It inspires kids to reach beyond their comfort zone and strive for something higher. The continued expectation by the ILC of the students to communicate the experience through blogging and to be representatives for the district also pushes our students to publically share and keep up the momentum of all that they have learned and gained from their experiences—to become a voice for opportunity.

Chloe’s experience in Professor Lamas’ Social Justice Program has expanded her way of thinking. It has furthered her ability to think critically about the world around her and to take an active role in changing herself and her environment for the better. She was in a class with 30 international students, studying under the guidance of teachers from all over the world. She was exposed to world-wide issues of poverty, racism, sexism, capitalism, amongst others and taught strategies by which to analyze these issues locally and communicate solutions. The strategies provided also encouraged her to question her own thinking and how she has viewed and now views herself and her place in the world. The Social Justice Program is an invaluable addition to the ILC as it enables our students to actively find their voice and learn to interact in the communities in which they and their families live.

I know a lot of hard work goes into the ILC, and I am so grateful to all those who participate in creating and maintaining this incredible opportunity for our students in the WCCUSD. Don, Charles, and Madeline for spearheading the program, all of the interviewers for taking the time out to care about our kids, Ian for being a fantastic chaperone, the University of Pennsylvania and donors for sponsoring Chloe, and Professor Lamas and Michael for providing incredible guidance and opening up your hearts! Thank you all!!!

Sincerely,

Kai Weber (Chloe’s mom)